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Optometrist

Regulators
  • General Optical Council
Nations
United Kingdom
Sectors
  • Health and care

Regulatory or professional bodies

Primary regulator

Regulatory authority
General Optical Council
Address

10 Old Bailey
London
EC4M 7NG

Phone number
+44 (0)207 5803898

Regulation

Regulation summary

An optometrist examines eyes, tests sight and prescribes spectacles or contact lenses for those who need them. They also fit spectacles or contact lenses, give advice on visual problems and detect any ocular disease or abnormality, referring the patient to a medical practitioner if necessary.

Optometrists may also share the care of patients who have chronic ophthalmic conditions with a medical practitioner. Once qualified, optometrists can undertake further training to specialise in certain eye treatment by therapeutic drugs.

Regulation type

Licence

Reserved activities

1) Carrying out a sight test when not a registered optometrist or medical practitioner
2) Fitting contact lenses when not a registered optometrist, dispensing optician or medical practitioner
3) Selling optical appliances (with specific exceptions) or zero powered contact lenses otherwise than under the supervision of a registered optometrist, dispensing optician or medical practitioner

Protected titles

Optometrist
Dispensing optician
Registered optometrist
"Optician" unless nobody could reasonably think that they are registered with the GOC

More about regulated activities and titles
https://optical.org/en/publications/illegal-practice-protocol/

Qualifications and experience

New professionals

Routes to qualification

To qualify as an optometrist you must:

1) Complete a GOC-approved undergraduate degree in optometry (Stage 1) or an integrated four years Master’s degree in optometry (Stage 1 and Stage 2).
2) Students with a Stage 1 GOC approved qualification (normally an undergraduate degree in optometry) must graduate with at least a 2:2 classification and achieve their certificate of professional competence (also referred to as ‘certificate of clinical competence’ and comprises achievement of both the Stage 1 competencies and all patient episodes) in order to be eligible to enter onto the pre-registration period.

The pre-registration period is carried out under the supervision of an optometrist member of the College of Optometrists, or a supervisor approved by the University of Manchester.

If you have not achieved one or more of these criteria, or a significant amount of time has passed since your last period of supervised practise as a trainee, you must seek to achieve these before you may enter the pre-registration period.

Some providers offer access to short courses or specific modules which will allow you to retrain in specific areas. We suggest that you contact providers who offer GOC-approved qualifications individually to discuss your needs and their entry requirements to find the best option to suit you.

3) Successfully complete a pre-registration period of training under supervision. This includes work-based assessment and a final assessment on the GOC-approved Stage 2 qualification for optometry.

4) Register with the GOC. Please note, students must be registered as student registrants from the beginning of their studies, for which a fee applies.

Professionals from outside the UK

Recognition for professionals outside the UK
Some - qualifications from some countries may be recognised, but professionals from other countries will have to re-qualify
Summary of routes

Full recognition under the EU Directive 2005/36/EU is only available for Swiss nationals and applicants, their spouses or dependents, or a UK national settled in Switzerland or their spouse or dependents.

Other overseas professionals will need to apply under the "International" route. This requires registering as a student and completing a pre-qualifying period before sitting professional qualifying examinations.

More about recognition for professionals outside the UK
https://optical.org/en/registration/register-from-overseas/

Registration

Registration requirements

If you have completed the relevant education and training in the UK and wish to be an optometrist, you must complete an application to be registered with us. It is illegal to practise if you are not registered.

You must also pay the appropriate application fee.


Legislation

Title of relevant act or charter

Opticians Act 1989

Title of relevant act or charter

GOC rules and regulations

Licence Finder

You may need licences and permits to carry out certain activities in the UK. These are called authorisations. Use the licence finder to find what you need.