What Does a Developmental Optometrist Do?

A developmental optometrist, sometimes called a pediatric or behavioral optometrist, specializes in evaluating and treating conditions of the eye in children. These vision health workers also serve as educators, providing information about vision services, procedures, hygiene and therapies. When necessary, they liaise with other vision workers such as opthamologists and optometric technicians to ensure clients receive optimal vision care. Research is also part of work for some of these professionals.

A major part of the job for a developmental optometrist is evaluating the condition of children's eyes. This involves looking not only at the physical structures of the eye, but also assessing how the brain is processing visual data. During the course of a regular day, the developmental optometrist checks five major areas, including binocularity or how the eyes interact, oculomotility or how the eyes track, accommodation or eye focusing, visual perception and visual-motor integration or hand-eye-body coordination. The optometrist uses various tests to investigate these areas.

Diseases and injuries of the eye also are of concern to a developmental optometrist. Examples of such issues include lesions to the optic nerves, measles, vitamin deficiencies and retinal dystrophies. The optometrist helps the child and the child's family cope with these types of contributing factors if the optometrist finds them. If the optometrist cannot provide a therapy or procedure that will help, he might coordinate with other vision professionals who can, depending on the cause of the vision trouble.

If the developmental optometrist has a vision therapy or tool that will help a child's vision, he writes formal prescriptions. He then gives these to workers such as optometric technicians who help construct lenses or contacts and who are qualified to go through therapy programs with the children as the optometrist instructs. At specific points in the therapy, he might assess the progress of the child's vision or conduct some of the therapy himself.

A developmental optometrist is also an educator. It is his responsibility to explain how tests or exams work and the purpose they have. He also may demonstrate how to care for the eye using pedagogical tools such as large eye models. When problems are found, he talks with the child and the child's family about the possible causes and treatment options available. In some cases, the optometrist may supervise interns who are studying to be technicians or optometrists.

Some optometrists who work in the pediatric specialty conduct specialized research. This research might be anything from the effectiveness of certain medications to a more precise way of grinding or forming contacts. If an optometrist conducts research, it is standard for him to publish his findings or developments.