Optometry

Optometry is a healthcare profession dealing with eye and vision care. This program will provide practical and theoretical knowledge about the human eye. The optometry profession deals with examining, diagnosing, managing and treating various eye-related defects. They can also specialize in areas like binocular vision, vision therapy, geriatric eye care, low vision care, pediatric eye care, ocular disease, vision rehabilitation, and contact lenses.

Vision:

• The Department of Optometry at Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science aims to proactively address the evolving challenges of the medical community through continuous innovation, unwavering commitment to quality, and impactful research initiatives.
• The Department of Optometry seeks to be a beacon of change, influencing advancements and meeting the ever-growing demands of the eye and vision care. We aim to be at the forefront of positive transformation to the betterment of eye care services.

Mission:

• To train competent, compassionate, and ethical Allied Health professionals through studentcentered programs.
• To address primary and specialized healthcare needs of the region and nation.
• To foster biomedical research contributing to scientific advancement and public health
  improvement.

The School of Allied Health Sciences from Hindustan Institute of Technology & Science offers an undergraduate program in Optometry, a four-year program that combines full-time on-campus instruction with clinical experiences. Clinical research begins in the first year and increases over time to a full-time commitment in the final year.

Our institution has excellent infrastructure and an advanced laboratory ‘i-Focus’ to get hands-on learning experience, adding an extra layer of knowledge towards the field of optometry. Students will also be given the opportunity to undertake clinical training at Smart Vision, rural and community sites with the Indian Vision Institute as part of their final year of study.

The B.Optom. is a 4 years full-time undergraduate degree program consisting of 3 years of learning and 1 year of Internship.

Program’s Educational Objectives (PEO’S)

• PEO 1 - Acquire the knowledge and skills for providing comprehensive patient care assistance in the Allied Health/Paramedics and Healthcare sector/industry.
• PEO 2 - Inculcate the inter-disciplinary approach for diagnosing and management of patient’s health problems.
• PEO 3 - Improve the clinical, social and communication skills by providing hands on training in medical colleges and district hospitals.

Program’s Outcomes (PO’s)

• Independent professional: Prepare students to work as independent optometrist or as part of a multidisciplinary team to assess, evaluate, diagnose, plan, treat, and document it in accordance with red and yellow flags.
• Practice ethically: To instil in students a strong sense of ethical responsibility and professionalism, ensuring they adhere to the highest standards of patient care, confidentiality, and ethical conduct.
• Refractive error: To equip students with the proficiency to accurately diagnose refractive errors, prescribe appropriate corrective measures, and dispense optical solutions, ensuring optimal visual correction and patient satisfaction.
• Minimize Blindness: To empower students with the knowledge and skills to actively contribute to the prevention of blindness by identifying early signs of ocular diseases, offering timely interventions, and promoting awareness of vision care.
• Diagnosis and Investigations: To enable students to conduct comprehensive ocular examinations, utilize advanced diagnostic techniques, and interpret investigative findings, facilitating precise and timely diagnoses for effective patient management.
• Contact Lens: To develop students' proficiency in fitting, prescribing, and managing contact lenses, enabling them to provide effective visual correction and enhance patients' quality of life.
• Pharmaceutical Management: To educate students on the effective utilization of pharmaceutical agents in treating ocular conditions, enabling them to make well-informed decisions for optimal patient care.
• Binocular vision and Vision therapy: To educate students in assessing and managing binocular vision anomalies through evidence-based vision therapy techniques, enabling them to enhance patients' visual comfort, coordination, and overall binocular function.
• The Psychosocial dynamics: To enhance students' understanding of psychosocial factors (for example: cultural influences, emotional well-being, and socio-economic contexts) influencing patients' eye health and well-being, enabling them to provide empathetic and patient-centered care.
• Community Optometry: To prepare students to actively engage in community-based optometric practices, promoting eye health, conducting vision screenings, and addressing the visual needs of diverse populations.
• Research: To foster students' research acumen, encouraging them to engage in scientific inquiry, critically analyze findings, and contribute to the advancement of optometry and visual science.
• Communicative skills: To develop students' effective communication skills, enabling them to establish rapport with patients, explain diagnoses and treatment plans, and ensure clear and empathetic patient interactions.

Program’s specific outcomes (PSO’s)

• PSO-1: Apply fundamental knowledge of basic and advanced health science courses to develop core competency in Optometry in the areas of Refraction, diagnosing eye diseases, Contact lens, Low vision care, Nutrition, Community care, dispensing optics & management of patient’s needs.
• PSO-2: Work professionally or to take-up career in healthcare sectors in hospitals for patient care management as an optometrist or to pursue higher studies in Vision science or take up short term clinical speciality fellowships for specialisation in a particular field and other interdisciplinary programs by applying the principles of management, ethics, environment and social issues.
• PSO-3: Develop Entrepreneurship skills for setting up a private optical outlet.

Study the science of how we see and interact with our world. This program provides a comprehensive  education in a wide range of areas, including:

• Sensation and perception
• Optics
• Anatomy and functioning of the eye
• Oculo–visual disorders
• Introductory pharmacology
• Visual aids and dispensing
• Contact lens & fitting
• Binocular Vision & vision therapy
• The consulting room interface
• Research design and methods and experimentation

You will gain broad experience in optometric eye care, and training to communicate effectively with patients and other health practitioners. This program will help you to develop sought after skills, ensuring your training is relevant in today’s fast-changing world.

WHAT WILL I STUDY?

Anyone who has passed the Higher Secondary Examination (XII standard) from the Central/State Board or its equivalent in the science stream with excellent performance in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics/Biology can apply.

Bachelor of Optometry 1st year

• Covers basic human sciences

Bachelor of Optometry 2nd year

• Covers basic vision sciences, Core optometry, Preclinical optometry training

Bachelor of Optometry 3rd year

• Applied optometry and support courses

Bachelor of Optometry 4th year

• Internship & Community Optometry

Graduates of this program can find placements in traditional and non-traditional areas

• Private Practice
• Optometrist in Tertiary eye care Hospitals
• Academics (M.Optom., Ph.D.)
• Research Optometrist
• Contact lens specialist
• Low vision specialist
• Retail/ Optical industries
• NGOS

Community Outreach Events

Students from the Department of Optometry at HITS have actively engaged in numerous Community Outreach endeavors, specifically participating in Vision Screening Camps organized through collaborative efforts with industry partners such as Smart Vision Eye Hospital and the India Vision Institute.

B.Optom. students taking part in Health camp conducted at Thaiyur in collaboration by Smart Vision Eye hospital

B.Optom. students taking part in Vision screening conducted at Padma Adharsh School, Vaniyanchavadi in collaboration by Smart Vision Eye hospital

B.Optom. students taking part in Vision screening conducted at Government High School, Pannaiyil by India Vision Institute. 

B.Optom. students taking part in Vision screening conducted at Government Higher Secondary School, Thiruporur by India Vision Institute. 

Student Achievements

Optometry final year students, as a team of 3 members won 1st place in the quiz competition of the 4th International conference on “EYE HEALTH IN CHANGING WORLD” conducted by Indian vision institute at IIT madras research park, Chennai on September 24 to 26, 2023.

The Department of Optometry, SAHS has MoU collaborations with industries for Clinical training, Conferences and Internships.

• Smart Vision Eye Hospital
• India Vision Institute
• Gleneagles Global Hospital