Locum Optometrist Careers & Job Opportunities
Looking for locum optometrist jobs that fit your schedule and your career goals? Imperial Locum connects licensed optometrists with short-term and contract assignments across California.
Whether you want to fill a gap between roles, supplement your income, or explore a new clinical setting before committing long-term, we make the matching process simple.
What Optometrist Pay Looks Like in California
Locum optometrist pay varies by setting, patient volume, and assignment length. Current California locum optometrist positions with Imperial Locum start at $75/hour.
Facility type is the biggest driver of pay: state and correctional settings tend to offer steady, predictable hourly rates, while private practice or retail assignments can vary based on patient volume and location.
If you're comparing offers, ask about more than the hourly rate. This includes factors, such as:
Malpractice coverage
Credentialing support
Travel assistance
Housing assistance
Imperial Locum handles the administrative side so your take-home reflects the work, not the paperwork.
National Salary Context & Job Outlook
For broader context, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $134,830 for optometrists nationally (May 2024 data). This means $64.82 per hour. However, remember that this figure represents permanent, salaried positions across all practice settings.
Locum pay is typically structured hourly or per diem rather than as an annual salary. This reflects the flexibility and short-term nature of the work.
The BLS also projects 8% employment growth for optometrists from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 2,400 new openings projected each year. This sustained demand is part of why locum and contract assignments continue to be a steady source of work for licensed optometrists.
What Optometrists Do Each Day
You already know how to care for patients. A temporary assignment just changes where you do it. Because optometric scope of practice is set at the state level, your exact clinical duties and prescribing authority will always follow California's board guidelines. Here's what a typical day looks like:
Patient Exams: Step into a ready-made schedule and perform eye exams and vision tests using the clinic's own equipment.
Diagnoses & Care Plans: Check for refractive errors and conditions like glaucoma, cataracts, and dry eye, tailoring care to the local patient population.
Prescriptions & Referrals: Treat minor eye issues, write prescriptions, and refer patients to ophthalmologists or eye surgeons when a case falls outside your scope.
Continuity of Care: Handle pre- and post-op checks and patient education so care stays consistent even when the regular doctor is away.
Where You'll Work
Imperial Locum places optometrists across a range of California settings, each offering a different day-to-day experience.
Correctional Facilities: Provide essential vision care to incarcerated populations. Correctional facilities offer steady schedules and structured environments. Imperial Locum has five openings at correctional facilities across California.
State Hospitals: Support patients within California's Department of State Hospitals system, delivering routine and specialized eye care. Imperial Locum has three open positions at State Hospitals.
Community Health Centers: Serve rural or underserved communities where access to eye care is limited.
Private Practices & Retail Eye Care: Help independent offices and optical retailers manage patient load with routine exams and prescription updates.
Specialized & Telehealth Care: Support pediatric or geriatric patients, or reach patients remotely through teleoptometry.
Why Work Locum With Imperial Locum?
Locum work gives you control. You can choose assignments that fit around travel, family, or continuing education, and gain experience across different clinical settings. All without a long-term commitment.
Imperial Locum matches you with roles suited to your experience and goals, handles credentialing and malpractice coverage, and gives you a real person to call when something comes up mid-assignment.
It's also a low-risk way to explore a practice environment before deciding if it's the right long-term fit.
Locum Optometrist Jobs Across California
As hinted earlier, our current openings are concentrated in California's correctional healthcare and state hospital systems. These roles span facilities in:
New roles are added every day so check back often, or talk to a recruiter about what's coming next.
Ready to Apply? Here's What You'll Need
Doctor of Optometry (OD) Degree — from an accredited optometry school.
Active California License — current and unrestricted, valid for the setting you'll be working in.
Clinical Skills — hands-on experience with eye exams, vision assessments, treatment planning, and EHR documentation.
Adaptability — comfort learning new clinics, workflows, and teams on short notice.
Clear Communication — the ability to explain conditions and treatment plans in terms patients understand.
How the Hiring Process Works
We handle the administrative burden so you can focus on clinical care. Here’s an overview of the hiring process:
Talk to Us: Share your experience, license, and availability.
We Match You: We connect your profile with facilities that need your skills.
Credentialing Help: We gather paperwork and verify your license for each facility.
Travel & Logistics: We help arrange malpractice coverage and travel or housing support as needed.
Start Your Assignment: Begin your role with support available throughout.
Browse current California optometrist openings or talk to a recruiter about what's next for your career.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the career path to becoming an optometrist?
Optometrists complete a four-year Doctor of Optometry (OD) program after undergraduate study, then obtain state licensure. Many build experience through locum or per diem work before settling into a permanent role. It's also a common way to explore different practice settings mid-career.
Where in California does Imperial Locum place optometrists?
Current openings are concentrated in correctional healthcare and state hospital settings across California, including Wasco, Delano, Corcoran, Patton, Metropolitan, Napa, Coalinga, and Atascadero.
How long do locum optometrist assignments typically last?
It depends on the facility. Some cover a short-term gap of a few weeks; others, like many current California openings, run for months with extension options. We'll confirm the expected length before you commit.
Can I choose which assignments I take?
Yes. We share your profile with facilities that match your license, experience, and availability, but the final decision is always yours.
What's it like working in a correctional facility or state hospital as an optometrist?
These settings tend to offer structured schedules and a steady, predictable patient population — good for optometrists who want consistent hours without the variability of retail or private practice.
