Optometry Personal Statement

“Is it clearer on 1… or 2?” To this day, I still have not forgotten my first comprehensive eye exam. Not only was I was unable to decipher the meaning behind this phrase at the young age of five; I was also incapable of choosing the lens that corresponded with perfect vision. Unlike most children, I had found glasses to be a fascination rather than a nuisance and imperfection. Upon exiting the optometrist’s office, I had made it very evident that my eyesight had fallen short of not needing corrective lenses. Perhaps this was unforgettable because it quickly developed into an interest in patient care. More importantly, it became a defining moment in my life that soon led to my infatuation with how the eye can relay images to the brain to be

processed and consciously perceived.
However, my intuition to pursue a career in optometry sprouted more recently.

Years after becoming a regular pediatric patient to my own optometrist, I began to reflect on these childhood recollections and seek an interest in the health care field. With lack of exposure to other medical professions, I was uncertain of which career pathway would best suit my interests. Still, nothing compared to the “perfect fit” feeling of optometry. My decision to declare myself a pre-optometry major became inevitable when my academic endeavors and societal interests aligned. Being an only child and lacking company from children my age, I became focused on academic success as an adolescent. I began to notice that as children progress in school, they face increasing demands for visual abilities. If something as simple as a routine eye exam could improve their education, I would like to ensure that this is given the attention it

deserves.
With eyesight being a critical part of education, I believe it is important that all young students get the necessary treatment to help them achieve their full learning potential. Something as simple as being unable to read a white board in a classroom or a book for homework could set back a student’s education. As a student whose eyesight has deterred over the years, I understand how compromising one’s vision could limit learning capabilities. Helping student’s eyesight will improve their education, essentially transforming them into the young adults accountable for leading the next generation. My desire to specialize in pediatrics and my ambition to nurture those around me are two ways in which I plan leave my imprint on society through this profession.
My aptitude and enthusiasm for helping children directly correlates to my service in the community.

This past year, I actively participated in vision week with the Pre-Optometry Club. Throughout the week, our organization raised $1,200 through various activities such as “Pie in the Eye,” to donate to the Leader Dog foundation. Being able to see the reactions of the puppy raisers at our very own Leader Dog for the Blind banquet further solidified my decision to pursue optometry and empower those who are visually impaired to lead a more productive and fulfilling life. In addition to this, job shadowing my local optometrist, Dr. Matthew Martin, O.D., gave me first hand experience with patient interaction. Dr. Martin excelled in treating all clientele, but I particularly noticed his ability to connect with children. Prior to the end of a pediatric appointment, Dr. Martin would present his patients with balloons animals. This reassured them that regular visits to an optometrist should be something to happily anticipate. Being able to build a relationship with his patients at such a young age displayed that he was not only their doctor, but also a friend. I watched as he brought each patient’s eyesight into focus, and knew that this was something I could wake up to and practice each

day.
As a health care provider, I would not only be able to assist those seeking medical eye care, but also facilitate childhood development. I place so much emphasis on the educational system that I would like to become an educator myself; because I believe it is where students grasp the necessities they need to succeed in the real world. My ambition following graduation is to start out as a pediatrics professor in an optometric institution. I believe children are the foundation of the future and giving them a semblance of their perfect vision back would be a stepping-stone towards a higher quality of living and an improvement the general public can benefit from.