3 answers
Gabriella
Student
Antwerp, Ohio
4
Questions
Asked
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Do you think I would enjoy a job as an optometrist as someone who likes talking to people and helping others What is their schedule like and is it very stressful? Are you able to separate your work and home life??
Thank you!
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3 answers
Toni Patrick
Photographer/ Creative Director
5
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Toni’s Answer
Would You Enjoy It?
Yes — if you genuinely enjoy talking to people, educating them, and helping them see better, you’d likely love this field. Optometrists spend a large part of their day interacting with patients of all ages, explaining test results, fitting contacts or glasses, and helping people feel comfortable about their vision care. It’s a perfect balance of medical science, communication, and compassion — great for someone who likes personal connection as much as precision.
Typical Schedule
Most optometrists work regular daytime hours, usually Monday–Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, with some Saturdays depending on the clinic or retail setting (like LensCrafters or America’s Best).
In private practices, hours are steady and predictable.
In retail or corporate optometry, you might work a few evenings or weekends.
Compared to most healthcare careers, it’s known for having one of the best work-life balances.
Stress Level
Optometry is moderately low-stress compared to other medical professions. You deal with patient care, but rarely emergencies or overnight shifts. The main challenges can include:
Keeping up with patient flow on busy days
Managing documentation and insurance paperwork
Occasionally handling anxious or noncompliant patients
Still, most optometrists say the reward outweighs the stress — helping someone see clearly for the first time or detecting an early health issue feels incredibly fulfilling.
Work–Life Balance
Yes, most optometrists can completely separate work and home life. Once you leave the office, you’re not “on call.” That makes it ideal for people who value family time, personal projects, or creative pursuits.
Yes — if you genuinely enjoy talking to people, educating them, and helping them see better, you’d likely love this field. Optometrists spend a large part of their day interacting with patients of all ages, explaining test results, fitting contacts or glasses, and helping people feel comfortable about their vision care. It’s a perfect balance of medical science, communication, and compassion — great for someone who likes personal connection as much as precision.
Typical Schedule
Most optometrists work regular daytime hours, usually Monday–Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, with some Saturdays depending on the clinic or retail setting (like LensCrafters or America’s Best).
In private practices, hours are steady and predictable.
In retail or corporate optometry, you might work a few evenings or weekends.
Compared to most healthcare careers, it’s known for having one of the best work-life balances.
Stress Level
Optometry is moderately low-stress compared to other medical professions. You deal with patient care, but rarely emergencies or overnight shifts. The main challenges can include:
Keeping up with patient flow on busy days
Managing documentation and insurance paperwork
Occasionally handling anxious or noncompliant patients
Still, most optometrists say the reward outweighs the stress — helping someone see clearly for the first time or detecting an early health issue feels incredibly fulfilling.
Work–Life Balance
Yes, most optometrists can completely separate work and home life. Once you leave the office, you’re not “on call.” That makes it ideal for people who value family time, personal projects, or creative pursuits.
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Gabriella
George Zou, M.S.
Academic Advisor
36
Answers
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Updated
George’s Answer
Hi Gabriella,
Great question. From my understanding, optometry can be a very good job for someone who likes talking to people and helping them. Most of the work is calm and friendly. For a bulk of your day, you spend your day checking people’s eyes, helping them see better, and answering their questions. Many patients are nice, and you often see the same people every year, so you can build good relationships. If you enjoy simple, caring conversations, this job can feel very rewarding. Once you know your clients, building rapport becomes easy and clients return.
The work schedule for an optometrist is usually pretty easy to manage. From what I know, most optometrists work regular daytime hours, like 9 to 5 or 10 to 6. Some may work one or two Saturdays, but they usually do not work nights. They also do not deal with emergency calls like many other doctors do. This means the job has a steady routine, which makes life feel more balanced and less chaotic.
In terms of work life balance, the stress level in this job is not too high compared to other medical careers. Of course, there can be busy days with many patients back-to-back. Sometimes insurance paperwork can be annoying. And once in a while, a patient may have a more complicated eye problem. But overall, optometry is known for being calm, organized, and not overwhelming.
One of the best parts of being an optometrist is that you can separate your work life from your home life. When the clinic closes, you usually leave everything at work. You don’t have to bring charts home, and you almost never get calls after hours. This makes it easier to relax, spend time with family, or enjoy your hobbies without worrying about work.
For someone who enjoys helping others, likes peaceful jobs, and wants a life with good balance, being an optometrist can be a great choice. Now to become an optometrist, you would need a Bachelor degree in any discipline and then go on to optometry school. If you like biology and anatomy, it will be a great fit for you. It balances required technical knowledge along with serving people through empathy and understanding.
Great question. From my understanding, optometry can be a very good job for someone who likes talking to people and helping them. Most of the work is calm and friendly. For a bulk of your day, you spend your day checking people’s eyes, helping them see better, and answering their questions. Many patients are nice, and you often see the same people every year, so you can build good relationships. If you enjoy simple, caring conversations, this job can feel very rewarding. Once you know your clients, building rapport becomes easy and clients return.
The work schedule for an optometrist is usually pretty easy to manage. From what I know, most optometrists work regular daytime hours, like 9 to 5 or 10 to 6. Some may work one or two Saturdays, but they usually do not work nights. They also do not deal with emergency calls like many other doctors do. This means the job has a steady routine, which makes life feel more balanced and less chaotic.
In terms of work life balance, the stress level in this job is not too high compared to other medical careers. Of course, there can be busy days with many patients back-to-back. Sometimes insurance paperwork can be annoying. And once in a while, a patient may have a more complicated eye problem. But overall, optometry is known for being calm, organized, and not overwhelming.
One of the best parts of being an optometrist is that you can separate your work life from your home life. When the clinic closes, you usually leave everything at work. You don’t have to bring charts home, and you almost never get calls after hours. This makes it easier to relax, spend time with family, or enjoy your hobbies without worrying about work.
For someone who enjoys helping others, likes peaceful jobs, and wants a life with good balance, being an optometrist can be a great choice. Now to become an optometrist, you would need a Bachelor degree in any discipline and then go on to optometry school. If you like biology and anatomy, it will be a great fit for you. It balances required technical knowledge along with serving people through empathy and understanding.
Thank you so much!
Gabriella
Wong Loke Yuen
Head of Programme cum Senior Lecturer
645
Answers
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Updated
Wong’s Answer
If you enjoy talking to people and helping others, becoming an optometrist could be a very rewarding career for you. Optometrists' work involves using both science and communication skills. Every day, they interact with patients, listen to their concerns, and explain eye conditions or treatment options in a clear and caring way. If you like personal interaction and want to make a direct difference in people's lives, this job can be a good fit.
A big part of being an optometrist is patient communication. You'll often work with people of all ages, children getting their first pair of glasses, adults with eye strain, or older patients with vision loss. Many optometrists say one of the most enjoyable parts of their job is seeing how much they can improve someone's daily life by helping them see clearly.
When it comes to work schedule, optometrists usually have more regular hours than many other healthcare professionals. Most work in private clinics, retail optical centers, or group practices. Weekends may be required depending on the workplace.
In terms of stress, the job can have some pressure, but it's usually not as high-stress as other medical fields. Sometimes patients may be anxious about their vision or unhappy about costs, which requires patience and empathy. However, since most eye issues are manageable and the work environment is calm and clean, the stress level is generally moderate.
As for separating work and home life, many optometrists find it easier than in other healthcare jobs. Because the work is mainly appointment-based and not emergency-driven, you can usually leave work at the office.
A big part of being an optometrist is patient communication. You'll often work with people of all ages, children getting their first pair of glasses, adults with eye strain, or older patients with vision loss. Many optometrists say one of the most enjoyable parts of their job is seeing how much they can improve someone's daily life by helping them see clearly.
When it comes to work schedule, optometrists usually have more regular hours than many other healthcare professionals. Most work in private clinics, retail optical centers, or group practices. Weekends may be required depending on the workplace.
In terms of stress, the job can have some pressure, but it's usually not as high-stress as other medical fields. Sometimes patients may be anxious about their vision or unhappy about costs, which requires patience and empathy. However, since most eye issues are manageable and the work environment is calm and clean, the stress level is generally moderate.
As for separating work and home life, many optometrists find it easier than in other healthcare jobs. Because the work is mainly appointment-based and not emergency-driven, you can usually leave work at the office.