Ophthalmic Dispensing

Ophthalmic dispensing is the clinical specialism concerned with advising patients on spectacle and contact lens prescriptions, taking measurements, fitting corrective lenses and managing the optical equipment that people depend on to see clearly. It sits in the space between optometry, which involves the testing and diagnosis of visual conditions, and retail optical practice, requiring both clinical knowledge and interpersonal skill. At Glasgow Caledonian University, this three-year full-time degree provides the academic and practical training required to register as a qualified dispensing optician in the UK, combining a thorough grounding in optics, anatomy and visual science with substantial clinical placement experience.

You will study geometric and ophthalmic optics, anatomy and physiology of the visual system, pathology relevant to optometric practice, contact lens fitting and management, spectacle dispensing and the professional and ethical frameworks governing the optician's role. Practical clinical skills are developed throughout the programme in clinical settings, building your ability to work with patients of all ages and with a wide range of visual conditions. A typical entry tariff of around 200 points reflects the professional level at which the degree operates, and graduates leave eligible to sit the registration examinations of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians.

Graduates work as registered dispensing opticians in optical practices, hospitals, NHS clinics and specialist low vision services. The profession offers excellent employment prospects in a sector that is sustained by the universal need for visual correction and the growing older population. Many dispensing opticians go on to further qualifications in contact lens fitting, low vision or the Independent Prescribing qualification that extends their clinical scope.

Some go on to study optometry or other healthcare professions, building on the clinical and optical foundation the degree provides.