Requirements

Ophthalmic optician - requirements

Ophthalmic Opticians, or Optometrists, test the vision of their patients to identify health problems, prescribe glasses, and fit contact lenses. Read below to find out more about why you should choose a career in ophthalmology.

Know what you'll need to land a job below.

What qualifications do you need to be an ophthalmic optician?

To work as an optometrist, you’ll need to complete a university course as well as paid work experience. Subjects to consider include:

Optometry

You’ll need a GOC-approved degree in optometry, a one-year paid and supervised pre-registration work placement and to also pass the final GOC assessment.

To get onto an optometry course, you’ll likely need to have five GCSEs with grades nine to four, or equivalent, including English maths and science and three A levels, including at least one science.

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Do you need a postgraduate qualification to be an ophthalmic optician?

Life as an optician doesn’t require a postgraduate qualification, though you’ll be able to specialise through courses that follow a course in optometry.

What skills do you need to be an ophthalmic optician?

You'll have to show a competency for sensitivity, customer service and care to succeed in this role.

Hard skills usually include:

Knowledge of biology
Excellent knowledge sight-related health conditions
Computer skills and relevant software skills

Soft skills include:

Customer service
Sensitivity and empathy
Critical thinking, analytical, and reasoning skills
Both verbal and written communication

Do you need work experience to be an ophthalmic optician?

Optometry courses expect you to complete a paid work experience at the end of your degree, although work experience before your degree in a relevant healthcare setting is always beneficial to your applications. You can find experience at your local NHS trust.