Master of Optometry [MOptom] Syllabus, Top Colleges, Admission, Eligibility, Exams, Jobs, Salary 2023

Master of Optometry is a 2-year postgraduate course that involves the study of the detection and treatment of common eye diseases, the management of binocular vision problems such as squints and improper functioning of eyes. 

This program basically deals with the eye and the treatment processes for the different visual diseases and illnesses suffered by human beings.

This course basically focuses on academic areas dealing with low vision, vision therapy, advanced contact lenses, behavioural optometry, rehabilitation, binocular vision, neuro-optometric rehabilitation and vision therapy among other areas.

Candidates who wish to pursue the course must hold a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline from a recognized college or university with an aggregate of at least 50% marks. 

Admission to the course is offered either on the basis of the score obtained by a candidate in an entrance exam followed by a personal interview.

The average MOptom tuition fee charged by colleges and universities in India ranges between INR 1,00,000 and 2,00,000 per year. The fee charged by government colleges is much lesser than that charged by private colleges. 

Master of Optometry degree holders can easily expect an average salary of INR 4,00,000 to 12,00,000 per annum. The salary is proportional to the experience earned in the field. The salary offered increases with an increase in the experience earned in the respective field.

Some of the major career prospects for such postgraduates are Optometrist, Ophthalmologist, Optician, Optics Professor etc.

The course offers diverse career opportunities. Apart from seeking jobs, students can also choose to pursue much higher education in their respective fields. They can opt for higher degrees like Ph.D. Optometry, MSc Optometry etc. It makes them eligible for the positions of lecturer and professor in colleges and universities. 

Also check top MSc Colleges in India. 

What is the MOptom Admission Process?

Admission to the course is usually based on the score obtained by a candidate in an entrance exam. The various steps involved in the admission process are given below.

The guide to apply for entrance exam based admission is as follows.

• Registration: Registration dates are announced days before by the institute. An account needs to be created with basic details like email-id, phone number, etc.
• Fill up details: Fill up the application form with all necessary details with care. Care must be taken to ensure all details are accurate and correct.
• Submit documents: Scan and upload all required documents like mark sheets. Documents need to be uploaded in a specific format only, as specified by the institute’s application portal.
• Application fee: A minimal application fee is to be paid online during the submission of the application form. Payment can be done by all online payment modes.
• Download admit card: Admit cards are released once all applicants are judged for eligibility. The admit card must be downloaded and printed out to be used on the day of the examination.
• Examination: Prepare for the exam as per the syllabus and past papers. Appear for the examination on the date announced.
• GD & PI or Counselling: Successful candidates are then called for GD & PI rounds or Counselling. 
• Results: Based on candidates performance in the entrance exam of GD & PI rounds, results will be announced. 

What is the MOptom Eligibility Criteria?

The eligibility criteria is only a primary step towards getting admission.The minimum eligibility criteria is given below :

• Candidates must have completed and passed the qualifying examination in the undergraduate level.
• Candidates should complete their Bachelor's degree from a college which is recognized by the University Grants Commission.
• It is compulsory that the aspirant should have pursued their undergraduate degree in the Design field such as BOptom, BSc Optometry etc. 
• The minimum aggregate marks in the last qualifying exam should be 50%.

Which are the top MOptom Entrance Exams?

Only a few colleges are there that offer admission to MOptom programs on the basis of the candidate's performance in entrance exams. The examination details are released by the colleges every year. This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the examination dates have been postponed and the new dates for the same are yet to be released.

How to Prepare for MOptom entrance examinations?

To help candidates prepare better and efficiently for the entrance examinations, the following pointers can be referred to.

• Read about your entrance exam syllabus thoroughly and make a time table according to that to complete the full syllabus on time and quickly.
• You should have some background or knowledge in relevant subjects so these questions are not completely new to you.
• Practice previous year question papers to keep a check on exam patterns.
• Consider your weak points and practice more and more on the same weak points and also do regular revision.
• Make revision notes. By making revising notes it will help in the important topics before the exam day and it will also save your time.
• For General Awareness, Read daily newspapers, watch news, as it will help you keep updated with the latest news and current affairs.

How to get admission in a good MOptom college?

It is not easy to take admission in good college for this course as it is very difficult and there are lot more students who apply for this course so keep this pints in your mind: -

• Entrance Exam will be conducted by the universities itself.
• Hence, if you want to get into a good college, then your preparation for the entrance exams should not be compromised.
• Some colleges also select students on the basis of merit, hence your final scores in Class 12 or intermediate should be able to meet the cut-off criteria set by the college.
• Make sure you have applied in your selected college before the deadline.
• Since Group Discussions and Personal Interviews are not easy to crack so also prepare for the Group Discussion and Personal Interview Round as well. Be confident and fluent in our speech, so keep practising that also.

What is the Syllabus of MOptom course?

The table given below shows the semester wise breakup of the subjects one is required to study under the curriculum of this course.

Semester 1	Semester 2
Basic Sciences and Clinical Optometry	Orthoptics & Vision Therapy
Community Optometry & Public Health	Clinical Optometry-II
Advance Dispensing Optics	Neuro Optometry
Elective - Advanced Glaucoma and Pediatric Optometry	Business and Clinical aspects in Optometry
Semester 3	Semester 4
Cornea & Contact Lens 2) Low Vision & Rehabilitation	Special Clinic-II
Recent Advancement in Optometry	Project Dissertation-II
Special Clinic –I	-
Project / Dissertation	-

Which are the Top Colleges for MOptom Course?

Some of the top MOptom colleges with average annual fee and placement package is mentioned in the table below: 

Institute Name	Admission Procedure	Average Annual Fees
MAHE, Manipal	Entrance-Based	Rs. 2,70,000
SRMCRI, Chennai	Entrance-Based	Rs. 1,50,000
SRM IST, Kanchipuram	Entrance-Based	Rs. 1,70,000
DPU, Pune	Entrance-Based	INR 1,30,000
Chitkara University, Patiala	Entrance-Based	Rs. 92,000
MGMIHS, Navi Mumbai	Entrance-Based	INR 1,32,200
George Group of Colleges, Kolkata	Entrance-Based	INR 1,06,300
Singhania University, Jhunjhunu	Entrance-Based	INR 42,000
CMJ University, Ri-Bhoi	Entrance-Based	INR 1,45,000
IMS, Kolkata	Entrance-Based	INR 1,00,000

Source: College Websites

MOptom College Comparison

The tabulation below depicts the comparison made among the three top MOptom colleges in India.

Parameters	Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research	Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)	SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRM IST)
Overview	Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research (SRIHER) is a Deemed University formerly known as Sri Ramachandra University located in Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The University offers 12 UG and 62 PG courses, 16 Super Specialities PG, one Doctoral (Ph.D. and integrated Ph.D.) and one certificate program	Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Karnataka, formerly known as Manipal University, was established in 1953.MAHE offers various UG, PG and Research courses like B.Tech, MCA, MD, B.Arch, and many more in the fields such as medical, architecture, dentistry, engineering, hospitality, management, etc.	SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRM IST), formerly known as SRM University, is one of the top-ranking universities in India with over 20,000 students and more than 2600 faculty across all the campus. It offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs in Engineering, Management, Medicine, Health Sciences, Science and Humanities.
Location	Chennai	Manipal	Kanchipuram
NIRF Ranking	51	14	58
Eligibility Criteria	A Bachelor’s degree in Optometry or relevant discipline from a recognized university	A Bachelor’s degree in Optometry or relevant discipline from a recognized university	A Bachelor’s degree in Optometry or relevant discipline from a recognized university
Admission Process	Entrance-Based	Entrance-Based	Entrance-Based
Average Fees	INR 1,50,000	INR 2,70,000	INR 1,70,000
Top Recruiting Areas	Apollo Hospitals, National Institute of Health, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Food and Drug Administration, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. Lal Path Labs, Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, Asian Institute of Medical Sciences	Apollo Hospitals, National Institute of Health, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Food and Drug Administration, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. Lal Path Labs, Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, Asian Institute of Medical Sciences	Apollo Hospitals, National Institute of Health, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Food and Drug Administration, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. Lal Path Labs, Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, Asian Institute of Medical Sciences
Average Annual Salary	INR 3,85,000	INR 5,40,000	INR 4,00,000

Source: College Websites

MOptom vs MSc Optometry

Both MOptom and MSc Optometry are two very similar courses. However there is a minute difference between these two courses.  Some of the key similarities and differences between these two have been tabulated below. Also check out the top MSc Optometry Colleges in India.

Parameters	Master of Optometry	MSc in Optometry
Overview	It is a 2 years postgraduate course that involves the study of the detection and treatment of common eye diseases, management of binocular vision problems such as squints, and improper functioning of eyes.	MSc Optometry or Master of Science in Optometry is a postgraduate course in Optometry which includes eye and related structures, as well as vision, visual systems & vision information processing in humans. Optometrists are primary health care providers for the Diagnosis, management and treatment of the Eye Diseases & Refractive disorders.
Eligibility	Bachelor’s degree in Optometry or related discipline from a recognized university.	Bachelor’s degree in Optometry or related discipline from a recognized university.
Admission Process	Merit/ Entrance-Based	Merit/ Entrance-Based
Average Fees	INR 1,00,000 to 2,00,000	INR 50,000 to 8,00,000
Average Salary	INR 4,00,000 to 12,00,000	INR 4,00,000 to 10,00,000
Top Recruiting Areas	Apollo Hospitals, National Institute of Health, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Food and Drug Administration, Central Bureau of Investigation, Asian Institute of Medical Sciences etc.	Apollo Hospitals, National Institute of Health, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Food and Drug Administration, Central Bureau of Investigation, Asian Institute of Medical Sciences etc.

Source: College Websites

What are Job Prospects and Career Options after MOptom?

• Master of Optometry can lead students to some worthy jobs and positions, a career in Optometry offers students unlimited opportunity, respect in society, contribution to the community for improving healthcare which results in a good quality of life, job flexibility and career success. However, it all depends on the skills and qualification of the graduate and his/her ability to carry out intense procedures. 
• Apart from career options such as assisting ophthalmic doctors in government hospitals and private clinics, an Optometrist can also go for pursuing a private practice.

Some of the popular avenues open to such postgraduates are listed below with the corresponding salaries offered for the respective positions.

Job Position	Job Description	Average Annual Salary
Optometrist	Optometrists are the independent primary health care providers who specialize in eye care and visual health. Optometrists are medical professionals, but not physicians. They focus on regular vision care and prescribe eyeglasses and contacts. Optometrists examine the internal and external structure of the eyes.	INR 9,00,000
Ophthalmologist	An Ophthalmologist is a physician who specializes in the surgical and medical care of the eye & vision system. Ophthalmologists offer complete eye care services. These include vision services, medical eye care, surgical eye care, diagnosis and treatment of eye.	INR 5,87,000
Optician	An Optician is an important part of the eye care team, but is not an eye doctor. An optician uses a prescription that is written by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist. An optician is a technician who is trained to design, verify and fit eyeglass lenses and frames, contact lenses, and other devices to correct eyesight.	INR 8,12,000
Optics Professor	Optics Professors are engaged in academia and lecturing, with some degree of clinical practice/ and or instruction as well. Many teaching opportunities for optometrists are limited to optometry schools, however, there are some institutions (universities, medical centers, and medical schools) that actively seek optometrists to educate students, residents, and staff, primarily in topics of contact lenses and low vision.	INR 6,58,000

Source: College Websites