Optometry. An ideal profession

Historical Significance: The College's course had problems recruiting students in its early years, in part because optometry was not a highly regarded profession but also because World War II had begun in 1939 the year before the new four year course offered by the College enrolled its first students. Many young people were deferring further studies to volunteer for the armed services. Four students enrolled in 1940 of whom 3 completed in 1944. There were no students enrolled in 1941 and 1942 although there were students enrolled in 1943 and 1945. There was a surge of enrolments after the war (which ended in August 1945) as servicemen returned from the war and were assisted in taking up study under government repatriation programs. Thisbooklet was designed to promote the course to prospective students. It describes modern optometry, the course of training, the cost of the course (40 guineas a year = $84), scholarships and employment opportunities. It describes optometry as 'the science and art devoted to the examination of the eyes, the measurement of the powers of vision and the employment of corrective methods of an optical character for the relief of visual and optical anomalies' and says that optometrists 'must have an adequate appreciation of special pathology so as to be able to detect the presence of diseased condition of the eye'