Student 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 - Email address
- international@optical.org
- Website
- https://www.optical.org
- Phone number
- +44 (0)207 5803898
Regulation
Regulation summary
By law, if you are a student on a GOC-approved training course in optometry then you must be registered with us.
A fully-qualified 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
Reserved activities
Only optometrists, registered medical practitioners or persons training as an optometrist can test sight (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1994/70/made).
Only registered optometrists or registered dispensing opticians with a contact lens qualification or certification, and registered medical practitioners, can fit a contact lens unsupervised. Those who do not hold the requisite contact lens qualification or certification can only fit a contact lens if the fitting is carried out under the supervision of a person who does hold the requisite qualification or certification, or where it is completed as part of an approved course of study or examination
(https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1988/1305/made).
Protected titles
You cannot pretend to be a student registrant when you are not registered with the GOC.
- More about regulated activities and titles
- https://optical.org/en/about-us/how-we-work/rules-and-regulations/
Qualifications and experience
New professionals
- Routes to qualification
-
By law, students on a GOC-approved training course in optometry must be registered with us.
- More about qualification
- https://optical.org/en/registration/join-the-register/register-as-a-student/
Professionals from outside the UK
- Recognition for professionals outside the UK
- None - all professionals must re-qualify
- Summary of routes
-
You cannot use the international route to registration as you must have obtained a qualification and be practising or registered to practise in order to be considered under this route. Training institutions may recognise prior learning as part of acceptance on a course.
Registration
- Registration requirements
-
By law, students on a GOC-approved training course in optometry or dispensing optics must be registered with the GOC.
You must:
a) Complete the application form to join the student register, including a completed student identification form and correctly certified identification.
b) Pay the appropriate application fee. - More about registration
- https://optical.org/en/registration/join-the-register/register-as-a-student/
Legislation
- Title of relevant act or charter
-
Opticians Act 1989
- Website link to legislation
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/44/contents
- Title of relevant act or charter
-
GOC rules and regulations
- Website link to legislation
- https://optical.org/en/about-us/how-we-work/rules-and-regulations/