Top 21 Optometry School Interview Questions In 2024 [With Answers]

Eyes are the world. You close them, and it’s suddenly dark. Being one of the most vital parts of our body, the eyes need to be maintained and supervised, so that all the regular defects and issues are timely resolved. Like every specialist, an Optometrist is an eye-specialist doctor who checks, diagnose, and treats all eye-related irregularities and issues. It is a core medical profession and optometrists are highly recognized as well as respected in the entire society. They find employment in established eye care centers and multi-specialty hospitals at attractive pay packages and incentives.

The interview session of an optometrist is quite challenging and you will be completely analyzed in terms of your:

1. Core subject knowledge
2. Response to specific situations and
3. Overall atttiude, personality and approach

Thus, it is necessary to work hard and prepare for the important interview questions that are asked in an interview session, which is conducted to fill the vacancies relating to optometrists. This article gives you 21 unique and most frequently asked interview questions that must be prepared and studied.

21 Best Interview Questions To Study

1. Name The Part Of Human Eye Which Helps In The Creation Of Best Vision.

This question tests your textbook knowledge pertaining to the human eyes.

Sample Answer

Sir, an image is formed on the retina. MACULA LUTEA (also known as the Yellow Spot) is a part of the retina at which the best, clearest and brightest vision is produced.

2. Explain The Two Types Of Cells Present In Our Human Eyes?

This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the various cells present in your eyes.

Sample Answer

Sir, in our eyes there are two types of cells, which are:

• Rod Cells: These cells are also known as light sensors and help us to see in situations, where there is less intense light. The total concentration of these types of cells in our eyes is 120 million and they detect three different colors, which are Black, White, and Shades of Grey.
• Cone cells: These are the cells that detect colors and have a concentration of about 7 million in our human eyes. The highest concentration of these types of cells is at “fovea centralis” and these cells function best in the bright light. Moreover, there are three types of cone cells too, with each type sensitive to one of Red, Green, and Blue.

3. How Do Our Eyes Maintain Their Shape, Composition and Structure?

This question tests your knowledge and understanding related to the composition and structure of the human eyes.

Sample Answer

Sir, eyes, like everybody part of ours, are a gift from God and need to be preserved with caution and care. Our eyes maintain their shape by way of two types of fluids that are filled inside them. These are:

• Aqueous Humor: This is a liquid substance that is filled into the anterior chamber of our eyes.
• Vitreous Humor: This is a jelly-like substance and is filled into the posterior chamber of our eyes.

Both these liquids allow our eyes to retain their oval shape and also hold their overall structure and composition.

4. Are You Aware Of Several Defects In Vision. If Yes, Please Share Them With Us.

This question tests your knowledge and understanding of the various defects relating to eye vision

Sample Answer

Sure sir, These are:

Name of the defect	Issues	How to correct the defect?
Myopia (Near-sightedness)	A person is not able to see distant objects, as the image is formed in front of the retina.	A concave lens is used so that it diverges and restores the formation of the image on the retina.
Hypermetropia (Far-sightedness)	A person is not able to see the nearby objects, as the image is formed behind the retina.	A convex lens is used so that it converges and restores the formation of the image on the retina.
Presbyopia (Age-related farsightedness)	In this defect, the lens present in our eyes loses its efficiency due to natural aging and the person is not able to see nearby objects.	A convex lens is used so that it converges and restores the formation of the image on the retina.
Astigmatism	The shape of the cornea becomes irregular.	Proper treatment is done.

5. How Does Our Eye Regulates The Amount Of Light Entering Into It?

There will always be some textbook questions that will test your core knowledge and application. Hence, revise your college notes and read all the basic questions that can be framed on them.

Sample Answer

Sir, our eye consists of several parts with each part having a specific and designated role in the functioning of the human eye. Iris and Pupil are the two parts that regulate the amount of light, which enters our eyes. There are most specifically two types of cases, which are:

• Contraction of Pupil: This happens when there is a large amount of light entering our eyes. Pupil contracts so as to prevent possible light damages to the retina and restricts the light entering our eyes.
• Dilation of Pupil: This happens when there is a low amount of light entering our eyes. Pupil expands/dilates so that more and more light could enter our eyes and we can see as clearly as possible.

6. What Do You Mean By “Accomodation” In The Context Of Human Eyes?

This question checks your knowledge and understanding of the various medical terms and functions associated with the human eyes.

Sample Answer

Sir, “accommodation” refers to the constant contraction and relaxation of the human eyes, which is done by the Ciliary muscles. When our eyes focus on the nearby objects, then these ciliary muscles tighten themselves up, so as to create a clear vision on the retina. On the other hand, when eyes focus on any far object, these ciliary muscles relax/expand. Due to aging, the efficiency of ciliary muscles falls, and we experience vision defects.

7. What Is The Nature Of Our Eye Lens?

This question tests your practical knowledge relating to the human eyes.

Sample Answer

Sir, our human lens is a converging lens, that is Convex lens in nature and produces an inverted image.

8. What Is “Signal Conversion” In The Context Of Human Eyes?

This question tests your practical knowledge relating to the human eyes.

Sample Answer

Sir, there are two types of light-sensitive cells that are present in our human eyes. These are rod cells and cone cells. These cells convert Light signals into Electrical signals. Post this, the optic nerve carries these light signals towards our brain.

9. Name Any Five Parts Of The Human Eye.

This question tests your knowledge relating to the various parts of the human eye.

Sample Answer

Sure, sir, These are:

• Sclera
• Retina
• Choroid
• Ciliary muscles
• Cornea

10. Patients Are Annoying. How Do You Handle Them?

This statement criticizes patients, who are the very basic reason for the existence of doctors. Thus, as an ideal response, you must defend your patients and also share your own way to handle and manage them.

Sample Answer

Sir, I completely disagree with this statement. Patients are not at all annoying rather people who are in need of some help and assistance. The best way to handle them is by showing care, compassion and using your best knowledge to diagnose them completely.

11. Doctors Must Maintain “Quality” In Their Processes. How Do You Interpret The Term “Quality”?

This is a word-based interview question, in which you are required to interpret the term “quality”. There could be just innumerable interpretations of this short word. As an ideal response to this question, you are requested to share your own version of the interpretation with your interviewer. Further, while interpreting, make sure that you are able to stick to the requirements of the job.

12. We Prefer To Work In A Team. What Is Your Ideal Team Culture?

Almost all business organizations, whether they pertain to the healthcare sector or the manufacturing sector, prefer to operate in a team. Usually, employees of the company are divided into separate groups on the basis of their skills, nature of education, tasks to be performed, and efficiency. Through this question, an interviewer wants to know, what are the various qualities or attributes that you require your team members to possess. These could be anything from being supportive, educated, dedicated, concerned, etc.

13. Why You Chose Us?

Through this interview question, an interviewer wants to assess your level of seriousness as well as commitment towards the business organization. The best source to prepare for this question is the official website of the company. You can note a few historical achievements and accomplishments from the website and join them with your own personal interests in the company.

14. Doctor Is A Stressful Profession. How Do You Manage Your Stress Levels?

Stress management is a common expectation and the relevance of it increases, even more, when you are a doctor. As an ideal response, just share some strategies that you adapt to manage your stress levels.

15. Describe Your Best Boss and Worst Boss.

We all work with different employers and with several business organizations. We meet several bosses there, and this question is concerned with them. Just share about your best and worst senior, along with justifying your selection with valid reasons.

16. As An Optometrist, You Will be Required To Perform Several Tasks. How Will You Prioritize?

Being an optometrist, you will certainly be required to attend to several clients as well as perform a variety of ancillary duties as well. Thus, it is inevitable to have a proper and established prioritization technique, using which you can perform your tasks in a time-bound manner. You can arrange your tasks on the basis of time consumption or difficulty levels, whatever it is, just make sure that you are able to completely explain it to your interviewer.

17. Describe Yourself In A Single Word.

This is a tricky interview question, as you are asked to summarize and shortlist your entire personality and attributes into a single word. Prefer to choose any corporate-friendly word, such as supportive, hardworking, dedicated, loyal, etc., and also justify your selection with valid reasons.

18. What Are Your Salary Expectations?

There is nothing technical in this interview question, but yet has the ability to deplete your selection chances. You are requested to never share any salary figure that is random and is not based on any logic or research. If you share any random salary figure, there are high chances that you will end up quoting a salary that is either too high or too low than the median salary. Hence, always research the industry and then frame your opinion.

19. What Motivates You To Work As An Optometrist?

We all are motivated by a few motivational factors that prompt us and stimulate us to work hard at our workplaces. An interviewer is interested in knowing these factors for the purposes of personality evaluation and assessment. These factors are personal to an individual and hence, avoid all the generic answers.

20. When Can You Start Working With Us?

It is common for the interviewers to ask about your expected date of start. There is nothing tough or technical in this question, and you are only expected to share your genuine date, on or after which you can start working for the company. Further, always remember that this question in no way guarantees your selection.

21. Do You Have Any Questions For Us?

It is common for the interviewers to conclude an interview session by asking this question. Through this, an interviewer gives you an opportunity to ask a few relevant counter-questions from your interviewer in terms of the organization, its ethical culture, its visions/missions, etc. It is necessary to attempt this interview question, else you will severely reduce your selection chances. You can a few questions based on the model questions mentioned below:

Model Questions

• What are the various incentives and allowances that are offered by the hospital to its employees?
• Please share a list of all the training and developmental programs that are run and organized by the center for its young doctors?
• Is it the policy of the company to provide conveyance or transport facilities to its regular employees?

References

1. https://academic.oup.com/cid/article-abstract/73/7/e1850/5893141
2. https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/handle/10012/16868