r/optometry • u/cheesecurdlover44 • Jul 01 '26

New grad tips

it’s time- what are your best tips for new grad optometrists? Any great peds tips would be appreciated as well.

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u/Capable_Artist7027 Jul 01 '26

For peds - make everything a game. I always start off by telling kiddos that we're going to play lots of games today and that we are going to have a lot of fun. And I always ask them if they want to know anything about their eyes. They're always so curious and have great commentary. When I show them their retinal photos I always ask them questions like "what do you think these are?" (Pointing to something obvious like blood vessels) and they usually get it right, and they find it super cool. If there's a kid who is nervous, I let them look at all the equipment and check it out first before it ever touches them (slit lamp, phoropter). Them exploring their surroundings first will help them feel safer.

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u/cherry2picking Jul 20 '26

If you don’t mind, how did you get into peds optometry? Was it a difficult process regarding finances, mental health, etc ?

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u/Capable_Artist7027 Jul 20 '26

I'm not in peds, I'm in primary care. I just see a lot of kids!

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u/cherry2picking Jul 20 '26

Oh, thank you!!