8/26/09
Class started at 8:30 today and finished at 7:30 pm. I had a 1 hour lunch break and a 3 hour evening break that I used to study so overall it was a really strenuous day.
Yet when it comes to doing good in optometry school you got to keep it positive! So I keep saying to myself, “at least I learned a lot”.
The schedule went as follows; gross anatomy, optics, optometric theory and procedures, lunch, optics lab, study session for human bio then a 2 hour gross anatomy lab.
To explain everything I learned in one day of optometry school at SUNY I would have to meet you one on one, but as I sit here now on the V-subway (typing on my iPhone) on my way back to Astoria I would be glad to outline a few highlights.
Gross Anatomy Lab
Gross anatomy lab was very educational today. Since it was our first lab we did not use cadavers but instead used the spinal column of a skeleton to make observations regarding the anatomy of this region of the body. It is imperative that optometry students understand all of the spinal anatomy from vertebra T5 and superior. That is why optometry schools often require undergrad students to take an anatomy course prior to their admittance into optometry college. For those who do, it will pay off greatly. I had lots of trouble understanding all the details that my professor was discussing in class and it was hard to picture everything but when we got to lab it was a different story. Seeing everything up close and personal allows you to make sense of the nomenclature that is assigned to various details of the human body. SUNY has some great labs planned out for us and the doctor to student ratio is always really great too.
Integrative Optics
light behaves in very interesting ways, and optometrists use their understanding of the physics of light to diagnose and treat patients. Optics is a great course when taught in a fun way, so choose optometry schools wisely! Did you know that light (in terms of optics) is not considered to exist if it is not brought within an optical system? It is like the age old question… “If a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it fall does it make any noise?”
Optical systems can be tricky but once you understand the basics it actually becomes fun to work out the problems! The science of optometry is partially centered around optics, so understanding a simple optical system exam question will help you to understand why and how your patient is seeing. Not all patients are the same, you can’t just put glasses on and expect your patient to see clearly. There are various types of lenses in all different powers and styles, each one refracting light in a unique way. Will your patient need a convex (plus) lens that converges light or a concave (minus) lens that diverges light? Maybe your patient needs a prism lens because an ocular muscle in one of their eyes is causing a miss alignment, and perhaps your patient needs a lens with a cylinder and axis to correct the eyeball which is not perfectly round.
By thoroughly understanding the physics of how light is transmitted, absorbed, refracted, and reflected you are able to give each patient the perfect prescription that will allow them to see at their best. This is why optics is so cool! You can manipulate light in any way you choose with mastery of optics.
Well its time to go study the heart for my gross anatomy course. Check back for another article soon.
