NEW YORK—A new and exclusive survey polls optometrists and optometry students to gauge their current interest in optometric and eyecare subspecialties. The study, just released this week during the Academy of Optometry meeting, was conducted by Jobson Optical Research. It was fielded in August 2023 to Jobson Research's in-house database of eyecare professionals and students, who represent a mix of professional settings and experiences. The goal of the study was to inquire about the type, breadth and mix of subspecialties being practiced, attitudes about those specialties and how those skills were learned and acquired, referral practices, professional pathways, their opinions towards potential credentialing and more.

Among the report's key takeaways:

● Over 80 percent of respondents believe that definable subspecialties currently exist in optometry. Top areas identified are Vision Therapy & Rehab., Low Vision, Cornea & CLs, and Pediatrics.

● 28.3 percent of respondents identify as “primary care providers with specialty skills” (26.1 percent) or simply as specialists (2.2 percent).

● 28.5 percent publicly list their subspecialties.

● 17.0 percent are members of specialty oriented organizations

● Over 70 percent of respondents indicated they refer to other optometrists, primarily for: Vision Therapy & Rehab., Low Vision, Brain Injury Rehab., Pediatrics, Cornea/Contact Lenses

● 82.4 percent indicated they would be more inclined to refer to another OD if they had formal training or credentials that validated their specialty.

Practicing optometrists (506) and optometry students (95) took part in the survey. Among these were a mix of optometry students and ODs practicing five years or less, those ODs practicing 6 to 20 years and those practicing 21 years or more.

There is much more information in the full report, which is available now, at no charge, for download here.

Look for more information and analysis about the survey and report to be posted in the Oct. 15 issue of Review of Optometry and in the late-October issue of Vision Monday.