Clara Luu

Growing up, I had always known that my heart was set on a future career in the healthcare sector. Learning about the human body was always very exciting to me, and that was what had brought me into studying my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science, and eventually the Doctor of Optometry. A career in healthcare serves and gives back to the community, and that’s a truly rewarding feeling.

Prior to beginning the Doctor of Optometry, I was also working in the hospital’s community-based rehabilitation outpatient clinic for a while and was exposed to multiple health professions. They were all super fascinating but in the end, Optometry appealed to me the most as a future career. I find the eyes to be the most interesting organ in the human body – they say that our eyes are an extension of our brain. Furthermore, I value my sight a lot!

I chose the University of Melbourne as my first preference as it was not only closer to home and close to the heart of the CBD, bust because the University has been a great pioneer in establishing and flourishing the Optometry profession within Australia and Melbourne since many decades ago.

Additionally, the University of Melbourne has its own established Melbourne Eyecare Clinic which is on the ground floor of the Optometry building. This allows Optometry students to also engage and practise seeing real patients. It is also greatly known for its strong academic research within the Optometry and Vision Sciences area!

I have always been a curious individual who likes to take on new challenges, and I believe that Optometry has exceeded my expectations both academically and as a future career.

Since studying Optometry, it has constantly been an intellectually stimulating experience. The eyes are super complex – Optometry involves a combination of biology, physics and visual neuroscience. While our eyes are the ones that gather information about our surroundings, it is our brain that processes and determines what we see.

Optometry is definitely more than just prescribing glasses to improve an individual’s vision (although we’re really good at it!). Our field plays an integral role in detecting and monitoring systemic diseases such as diabetes, the cause of visual disturbances like glaucoma, and ensuring that people’s sight is preserved… there are many other responsibilities.

Learning about the various ocular diseases is both interesting but fascinating. There is a strong clinical aspect within Optometry that can sometimes goes unnoticed by the public. Optometrists are always looking out for potential signs of eye diseases or problems. They are your first port of call for any eye-related issues! As an Optometry student, learning all these clinical techniques and eye diseases is very fun and exciting.

Furthermore, studying Optometry has been highly rewarding and fulfilling. Our small cohort (for our year, 65 people) is filled with like-minded individuals and it has been a very pleasant and fun journey so far. The staff are also amazing to work with as they care and take their time to know all of us individually.

Additionally, when you begin to practise as an optometrist, there are many routes that you can potentially pursue. The learning never ends there, even once we graduate.

My future career goal is to pursue an Optometry career that is aimed towards paediatrics, public health and advocacy. These are the three main areas that I’d like to focus on. The Doctor of Optometry has allowed me to gain exposure to gall three areas during placements.

I highly recommend studying the Doctor of Optometry at the University of Melbourne. If you are an individual that enjoys being constantly challenged, helping others while being able to maintain a good work-life balance, then Optometry is a wonderful profession to be in. Moreover, the eyes are very interesting. There is a lot of problem solving and critical thinking involved, and the best part is that you can always come up with a clear solution in this profession.

My advice is to stay curious and never stop learning, as it will help you to become a better clinician for your future patients.

Furthermore, I would definitely recommend getting more involved in events, clubs and being more socially engaged within the course and university!

Clubs serve many purposes, whether you prefer to find one that allows you to meet new people or if you want to join a club that aligns with your ideals. By joining and being actively engaged in a club, I have had the privilege of creating and being able to run fun events that were initially just ideas. Hence, joining a club and being surrounded by like-minded individuals provides you with a very powerful platform to create change or bring your ideas to life! Of course, this would not also be possible without the support from the University and staff!

My other advice to future students is to try to be involved in more things through the university! Once you graduate, you won't get these same opportunities again, so make the most of it while you're still studying!

In the Doctor of Optometry course, the teaching staff are always keen to share their knowledge and experiences, so do not be afraid to converse with them. Everyone is very friendly and the friendships that you make throughout the course will not only enhance your university experience, but these people will become your future colleagues.

While the Doctor of Optometry is a 4-year long course, my advice is to try and live within the moment and celebrate the little milestones and have fun with your peers. It is all about making a memorable journey!