Optometry
Optometry is a clinical healthcare profession concerned with the examination and management of eye health and vision. Optometrists perform sight tests, prescribe and dispense spectacles and contact lenses, detect and manage eye diseases, and refer patients to ophthalmologists when conditions require surgical or more specialist intervention. The role requires a combination of clinical knowledge, technical skill with specialist diagnostic equipment, and the interpersonal sensitivity to work effectively with a diverse range of patients, many of whom are anxious or unfamiliar with eye care.
At Leicester this four-year full-time programme develops all of these dimensions of optometric practice. You will study the anatomy and physiology of the eye and visual system, the optics that underpin how lenses and instruments work, the diseases and conditions that affect ocular health, and the clinical skills needed to examine patients and interpret findings. The programme integrates theory and clinical practice, building your competence in using specialist diagnostic equipment alongside your scientific and clinical knowledge.
Patient-centred care, communication, and professional ethics are woven through the curriculum, reflecting the reality that optometry is fundamentally a healthcare interaction as well as a technical one.
Clinical placements in practice settings form an important part of the degree, giving you the experience of working with real patients under supervision and developing the professional identity and practical confidence that registration requires.
Graduating from an accredited optometry programme and completing the pre-registration year of supervised practice leads to eligibility for registration with the General Optical Council as a fully qualified optometrist. Registered optometrists work in high street optometry practices, hospitals, and specialist clinics. Many develop independent prescribing qualifications or specialisms in areas such as paediatric optometry, contact lens fitting, or low vision.