Optometry School Application Essay

My interest into becoming an optometrist had begun when I was in high school; it happened in an unconventional way. It was not through watching videos, or someone explaining to me what optometry was, but rather, seeing the power of it firsthand. There was a point in my life where I felt emotions that I was unable to comprehend at the time. Seeing a family member on an operating table was the most petrifying moment that I have gone through, especially when the person on the table was my father. My father had to get a chalazion removed from his right eyelid. The doctor told my family that my father would be susceptible to certain health risks because of his diabetes and the severity of his cyst. This procedure was the hardest thing I have had to deal with in my life because it made me feel helpless. Usually, when my dad needs help he always asks me, but this time I could not do anything. It is interesting to think that something so small had such a big affect on my life.

My father made a successful recovery and I became inspired. I realized that having the gift of sight is something people take for granted. Therefore, when I embarked on my undergraduate journey, I partook in several activities to help foster my thirst for knowledge about optometry. For instance, I became the treasurer of the pre-optometry club at the University of Florida. As an executive board member, I opened doors for others to find their passion for optometry through managing our budget and finances to sponsor trips and activities. Meanwhile, I also worked as a secretary and shadowed at the Eye Associates of Orlando, where I gained practical knowledge. I also volunteered for the KidSight Vision Screening Program where I entered data of visio...

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... me to understand the inner workings of the eye and techniques used to help people.

My passion for optometry remains unfettered from negativity because I have seen the power of what it can do and the lives it can impact. I am highly aware of the prestigious reputation of your optometry program, and the work that your faculty is involved in. My fervor for optometry is unparalleled, and I want to affect change in the most positive way I can, which is changing the culture we live in. Ralph Waldo Emerson famously wrote, "The health of the eye seems to demand a horizon. We are never tired, so long as we can see far enough." From what I will accomplish in my life, I will see above the horizon, and give others the same vision. I hope you will give me the opportunity to continue my studies at your institution, while still allowing me to show you my passion for optometry.