I'm 40 years old, in the IT field all my life, make decent money. I'm tired of having too keep up with technology changes. Is it too late to change my career and become an Optometrist? Is it worth it?
Is it too late to change my career to be an Optometrist?
No problem whatsoever. 40 is not too old. 60 isn't even old (a lot of retirees go back to school for a year or two in order to CHANGE careers, not stop working completely).
Optometry is not really med school. Find a school near you, and start talking to the admissions counselors. They may suggest going to school at nights to take pre-reqs. Based on you performance, they may accept you.
Schools are looking for pasionate individuals for graduate school - age is an asset for this.
Is it too late to change my career to be an Optometrist?
You're not too old to pursue a doctorate in optometry. We have a 47 year old in our class, so he will be 50 when he is done. It will probably take you 8 years to finish.
It depends on you whether it is worth the commitment. You probably will be practicing for 15-20 years before you retire. This is typically when you will hit your prime.
