The following list of optometry schools covers many countries but the list is not exhaustive. Internationally, optometry as a profession includes different levels of education.[1] The institutions listed below provide academic and professional education and clinical training that ranges from Doctor of Optometry degree level to other professional degrees in optometry and also non-degree level education leading to a diploma or other qualifications in optometry.
In many countries the role of optometry is statutorily defined, practice is regulated and there is uniformity in professional education and clinical training and the scope of practice is consistent with the definition of optometry as a profession. In such countries the nomenclature of terminal qualification may be reviewed as and when necessary. In Australia, for example, Doctor of Optometry (OD) is now established at University of Melbourne (first intake 2011) and OD is described as 'an internationally recognised qualification and the gold standard for optometry education'.[2]
This is a list of optometry schools sorted alphabetically by country.
There are 5 Australian educational institutions offering degrees in optometry. There are two five-year bachelor level degrees, that incorporate the therapeutic management of ocular disease. The four year degree offered by QUT is followed by a year long graduate certificate in therapeutics. This degree course is no longer offered, and instead a three-year undergraduate course in Vision Science followed by a two-year Masters has been started graduates of which will be therapeutically endorsed. All three institutions award the degree with Honours to high achieving students, and also offer the Master of Optometry (MOptom) and PhD programs. The scope of Optometry practiced in Australia, is similar to that practiced in New Zealand, UK, Canada, and the USA, where Optometry is considered a primary health profession. Entry into the three optometry schools is extremely competitive, with students requiring a University Admission Index (UAI) higher than those required by Law, Medicine and Dentistry. In 2006 the UAI cut-off for the UNSW program was 99.00 and the ENTER cut-off for The University of Melbourne was 99.65.
In light of the development of the 'Melbourne Model' at the University of Melbourne, the year 2011 will see the introduction of a new four-year Doctor of Optometry Program (OD)[6], which will require students to complete an undergraduate degree prior to entering the OD program. It is anticipated that similar changes will be adapted by the University of New South Wales and the Queensland University of Technology in the years to come, though there is no evidence to support this rumour.
Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia is now offering an Optometry course. This takes 5 years and consists of a Bachelor of Science (Vision Science) and a Master of Optometry. It is the only optometry degree offered in South Australia.
Deakin University in Geelong, Vic, will begin a new course in Optometry at the start of the 2012 academic year. This course is being supported jointly by the two largest corporate dispensing chains in Australia Specsavers and Luxottica. It will become the first university in Australia to offer a 3.5 year optometry degree. It is anticipated that a shorter post graduate course will be available in 2013 for students already with an undergraduate degree.
In support of the University offerings the Australian College of Optometry [7] provides clinical placements for Australian and International University's and on going continual professional development for members of the Optometry profession.
It must be pointed out that the Brazilian Government doesn't legally recognize optometry as a profession; and the Brazilian Council of Ophthalmology constantly fights to prevent optometry from becoming a legalized profession. All optometry courses in Brazil are legal.
There are 2 Canadian educational institutions offering doctorate level degrees in optometry:
There are 7 Colombian educational institutions offering degrees in optometry. Two of them offer postgraduate courses: Universidad Santo Tomas in Bucaramanga and Universidad de La Salle in Bogotá, only one offers a Master in Vision Science: Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá.
Presently,there are two Czech universities running an optometry programme (both bachelor's and master's degrees):
Presently, there are two Ghanaian universities running the Doctor of Optometry degree program. Both universities run a six year program leading to the award of the degree.
There is currently 1 university offering bachelor's degree in optometry and graduate degree in visual science.
All India Institute of Optometrical Sciences (AIIOS) is an academic institute of Indian Optical Institute & Refraction Hospital Trust (IOI & RHT), established in 1932, the pioneer institution in Optometry in India . The study of Optometry as a science and profession, was not given much thought in India in the past until it was realised by Professor A.K .Banerjee, who qualified in England in Optometry in 1928 and returned to India with a dream of training young people in Optometry.
In 1958, two schools of optometry were established, one at Gandhi Eye Hospital, Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh and the other one at Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital, Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh, under the second five-year plan by Director General of Health Services of Government of India. These schools offered Diploma in Optometry courses of two years duration. Subsequently four more schools were opened across India situated at Sitapur Eye Hospital, Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, Chennai (formerly Madras) in Tamil Nadu, Bangaluru (formerly Bangalore) in Karnataka and Thiruvanthipuram (formerly Trivandrum) in Kerala.[3] Elite School of Optometry (ESO) was established in 1985 at Chennai and was the first to offer a four-year degree course.
The four-year degree courses are offered in well established schools and institutions including All India Institute of Medical Sciences - New Delhi; Elite School of Optometry attached to Shankar Netralaya - Chennai; Bausch and Lomb School attached to L. V. Prasad Eye Institute - Hyderabad; Bharati Vidyapeeth University Medical College - Pune; Manipal College of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal University, Manipal; Dr. D.Y. Patil Institute of Optometry - Pimpri, Pune; Lotus College of Optometry at Mumbai; Nethradhama school of optometry, Bangalore; Sankara College of Optometry in the state of Karnataka launched under the aegis of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and Dr.Anand College of Optometry and Vision Science at Salem, Tamil Nadu in collaboration with Periyar University. Presently more colleges and schools of optometry in India are offering a four-year degree course based on the CMOC curriculum endorsed by the ASCO.-http://asco-india.org/
India needs approximately 115,000 optometrists. Currently India has approximately 9000 optometrists (four year trained) and 40,000 eye care personnel (two year trained).[4] It should be noted that definition of optometry differs considerably in different countries of the world.[5] India needs more optometry schools offering four-year degree courses with a syllabus similar to that in force in those countries where optometry is very well established with an internationally accepted definition.
Postgraduate education in optometry in India is also offered leading to M.Optom, MSc, MPhil and PhD by several universities and institutions. The following list includes educational institutions offering four-year degree courses, and also two-year diploma and other non-degree courses: [24]:
Educational Institutions
1. School of Medical Sciences,University Of Hyderabad.(5years integrated masters programme in optometry & vision sciences). http://www.uohyd.ernet.in
2. All India Institute of Optometrical Sciences (AIIOS), Kolkata. [B. S.(Optometry)] http://aiios.org
3. Nethradhama school of optometry, Bangalore.
4. Aditya Jyot Institute of Optometry, Mumbai
( B.Sc)
5. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi [25]( B.Ophthal.Tech)
6. Bausch & Lomb School of Optometry, Hyderabad [26]
( B.S.Optometry)
7. Bharati Vidyapeeth's Medical College, Pune [27]
( B.Optom and M.Optom)
8. College of Optometry and Ophthalmic Sciences, Nasik
( B.Sc Optometry)
9. Elite School Of Optometry, Chennai [28]
( B.S.Optometry and M.Phil optometry)
10. Manipal College of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal University, Manipal
(B.Optom & M.Optom)
11. Lions Arvind Institute of Community Ophthalmology, Madurai (Diploma)
12. MEH School of Optometry, Mumbai (Diploma)
13. Nagar School of Optometry, Ahmedabad B.Optom and M.Optom
14. Optometry Research & Training Institute (ORTI), Uttar Pradesh
15. Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital & Institute of Ophthalmology, Hyderabad (Diploma)
16. Schells Eye Hospital (Unit of Christian Medical College), Vellore (B.Sc)
17. School of Optometry, Gandhi Eye Hospital, Aligarh
18. School of Optometry, Janakalyan Eye Hospital, Lucknow
19. School of Optometry: Regional institute of Ophthalmology, Government Ophthalmic Hospital, Chennai (Diploma)
20. School of Orthoptics & Optometry, Sitapur
21. The Lotus College of Optometry, Mumbai(B.Sc -Open university YCMOU, M.Sc( Private Certificate)
22. Harijyot college of optometry, Navsari, Gujarat( B.Sc,M.Sc)
23. Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh
24. M.N.College of Optometry, Chennai(B.Sc)
25. College of Optometry, Miraj, Maharashtra
26. Lotus Bausch & Lomb Institute of Optometry, Lotus Eye Care Hospital, Coimbatore [29]
27. Shri Prakash Institute Of Optometry (Unit of Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital & Eye Research Centre),19 Cathedral Road, Chennai [30]
28. NSHM Knowledge Campus (Dept. of Optometry & Vision Science), Durgapur, (B. Optm, Masters in Applied Optometry & Visual Science) West Bengal [31]
29. Sankara College of Optometry, Bangalore ( A unit of Sankara Eye Care Institutions, India)
30. George College of Management and Science, Kolkata
31. Hyderabad Central University, (offers MSc in Optometry and Vision Sciences)
32. NIMS University, Udaipur, Rajasthan (offers Degree and Diploma courses in Optometry)
33. U.P. State Medical Faculty (validates courses leading to Diplomas in Optometry and Orthoptics)
34. J.N.R.V.University, Udaipur, Rajasthan
35. I.G.O.N.University, Delhi
36. West Bengal Technology University
37. Malabar College of Health Education, Bharathiyar University, Calicut, Kerala
38. Rayhan Eye Hospital & Laser centre,Edappal,Malappuram District,Kerala Under IGNOU & Bharathiar University
39. Pailan college of management & technology joka, kolkata.
40. Academi of Optometrist, Kolkata.
41. Al Salama College of Optometry (ASCO), Perintalmanna, Kerala
42. Dr.Anand College of Optometry and Vision Science at Salem, in collaboration with Periyar University in Tamil Nadu.
43. Vidyasagar College of Optometry and Vision Science, Kolkata (B.Optom-4 Years Course)
44. BEJAN SINGH INSTITUTE OF OPTOMETRY (Affiliated to The Tanil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, Chennai) Bejan Singh Eye Hospital, Vettoornimdam, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, 629 003, India
There is only one optometry program in the Republic of Ireland. This program leads to a BSc (Optometry).
There are two optometry programmes in the State of Israel; one at Bar-Ilan University and the other at Hadassah College
Currently there are seven State Universities (Milano, Padova, Lecce, Roma, Firenze, Napoli, Torino) offering a three years university degree in Optics and Optometry (=Ottica e Optometria), formally a kind of physics degree. The students may enter the program at 18–19 years of age, like all the Universities in Italy. "Ottica and Optometry" university programs start in 2001 and roughly 90 are the graduates.
It must be pointed out that Italy Government don't legally recognize an optometry profession; anyway optometrist are allowed to practice (given they own also an optician diploma). On the other hand, the profession of optician is regulated and there are 15 State Vocational School for opticians (where optometry and contact lens are taught) throughout the nation (Brescia, Ancona, Roma, Napoli, Salerno, Avellino, Genova, Reggio Emilia, Savona, Cividale, Pieve di Cadore to name some of them); the students enter this school program at 13 years of age and study for five years until he/she reach the "Optician Diploma" (that allow to practice as optician) or enter similar program at 18 years (with a high school diploma or "esame di stato") and study for 2 year in a private school. There are many others Optometry courses in private institution (near Firenze, in Bologna, in Milano to name few), none of them giving a degree; instead they offer advanced professional education for already qualified opticians.
There is currently one university in Latvia offering an optometry programme (both bachelor and master degrees):
Currently there are 7 educational institutions offering degrees in optometry:
Mexico has 7 Schools of Optometry at University level:
Nepal has a four-year bachelor degree in optometry at B.P.Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies,Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuwan University. It is the one and only optometry program in Nepal providing a bachelors degree. No post-graduate programs are available. Entry requirements: 12 years of school education (10+2 with Biology, ISc with Biology, A levels with Biology)
Procedure:Written Entrance Test
Yearly intake: 6 (national) +1 or 2 international(varies)
The Netherlands has a four-year bachelor degree.
New Zealand has a five-year bachelor degree (BOptom). Entry into the second year of the degree requires sufficient marks in one year of general biomedical tertiary study or a prior degree. The therapeutic management of ocular disease is an integral part of the degree. The degree is delivered by the Department of Optometry and Vision Science which is part of the New Zealand National Eye Centre. There is 1 New Zealand educational institution that offers a degree in optometry:
There are three major institutions where one can study Optometry which is a primary health (eye)care profession. All three schools offer the O.D.(Doctor of Optometry) degree. They are (in order of age and prestige) The University Of Benin which is a Federal University, Abia state university and Imo state university. They all run a six-year professional programme leading to the attainment of the O.D. The University of Benin also offers MSc and PhD programs as well.
University of Benin, Ugbowo, Benin-City, Edo State, Nigeria.[6][7]
There is only one educational institution offering degrees in optometry. In Norway the optometric profession has been regulated as a healthcare profession since 1988. After a three-year bachelor program one can practice basic optometry. At least one year in clinical practice qualify for a post-degree half-year sandwich course in contact lens fitting, which is regulated as a healthcare specialty. A separate regulation for the use of diagnostic drugs in optometric practice was introduced in 2004.
following Pakistani educational institutions offering degrees in optometry:
PIO situated at Rawalpindi in Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital.
COAVS situated Mayo hospital at Lahore.
isra post graduate institute of opthalamology, isra school of optometry, al ibraheem eye hospital, old thana, malir karachi.
PICO situated at Peshawar.
RMC situate at Rawalpindi Pakistan offering 4 years BSC optometry degree.
Offers 4 years BSC Hons degree in Optometry
Optometric schools in the Philippines confer a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree that varies in length. Some schools have an integrated curriculum where optometry students are admitted to the professional phase school after two years of pre-optometry and other admit students after attaining a bachelors degree:
There are 2 Portuguese educational institutions offering degrees in optometry:
Optometry in Russia started in a similar way it started in other countries, from opticianry, but always was and still is a government regulated profession. Due to the huge number of ophthalmologists, there are only two educational institutions in Russia (population of more than 146 mill) that teach optometry: one is Saint Petersburg Medical Technical College, the former St. Petersburg College of Medical Electronics and Optics (http://www.mtkspb.ru/), and the second one is The Helmholz Research Institute for Eye Diseases (http://www.helmholtzeyeinstitute.ru/rus/index.php). Both belong to the Ministry of Health and are directly regulated by The Ministry. Annually they produce only about 80 graduates all together. That's the reason why there is a common thought in western countries that there is no Optometry in Russia and the former Soviet Block.
These institutions are very respected and well funded for the simple reason that they are located in the most important cities in Russia. St. Petersburg College has had well established relationships with Carl Zeiss and Essilor for more than 35 years and has 8 complete exam rooms with OCT, Corneal Topography, Perimetry and etc. equipment. College collaborates with St. Petersburg Military Hospital and St. Petersburg State University's Ophthalmology and Experimental Optics Departments.
The Optometry program is a 4-year program that includes 1-2 science foundation years, 3rd clinical/proff. skills year and clinical rotations in hospitals (4th year). Graduates after college/state examinations receive a specialist diploma that is valid only for 5 years and needs to be renewed every 5 years after additional training within state accredited programs. The scope of practice is as followed: refraction, contact lens fitting, spectacles construction and lens fitting (dispensing), Vermont, low vision aids, foreign body removal, referrals to other specialists after clinical condition diagnoses (management of diseases in the eye).
The educational system in Russia is in transitional period after the Bologna agreement on a new degree system (division to B.Sc. and M.Sc.) so this program probably will be changed to follow the newly set standards.
in Russian: САНКТ-ПЕТЕРБУРГСКИЙ МЕДИКО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЙ КОЛЛЕДЖ МИНЗДРАВА РОССИИ / Санкт-Петербургский колледж медицинской электроники и оптики
in Russian: Московский научно-исследовательский институт глазных болезней им.Гельмгольца
http://www.helmholtzeyeinstitute.ru/rus/index.php
There are two optometry schools in Saudi Arabia :
There are currently two schools of optometry in Singapore:
In 2009 University of Manchester (UK) and Singapore Polytechnic set up a degree course in optometry within the premises of Singapore Polytechnic. However, none of the lecturers are from the University of Manchester (UK), and the degree is not recognised by the General Optical Council (GOC) in the United Kingdom.
There is another optometry course offer by PCO from USA. Graduates from this course can only register their certificate as an additional qualification with OOB, but cannot be use as a basic and primary certificate to register and practice as a optometrist in Singapore.
University of Johannesburg, Gauteng, [57]
University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville campus, Durban, [58]
University of Free State, Bloemfontein, Free State, [59]
School of Ophthalmic Technology, established in 1983 by ministry of health at National Eye Hospital Colombo with the initiation of Dr. C E Parker III. Honours the Diploma in Ophthalmic technologist. Still a degree programme does not exist. These ophthalmic technologists are trained for the purpose of government hospitals. The course is also undergone by other SAARC countries: Nepal, Maldives and Pakistan. Meantime part time courses are conducted by private institutes to provide diploma for private sectors. Namely EYE CARE INSTITUTE and SRI LANKA OPTOMETRIST ASSOCIATION. The government of Sri Lanka does not recognize optometry as a profession and has no rule and regulation to date.
Al-Neelain University offers a 5-year bachelor degree in optometry and visual science.
Linnaeus University, Kalmar offers 3 years bachelor degree in Optometry. [62]
Karolinska Institutet offers a 3 years bachelor degree in Optometry and a one year master program in clinical Optometry. Bachelors Program: [63] Master Program: [64]
University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland - Institute of Optometry
There is currently 1 university offering a bachelor's degree in optometry and 2 educational institutions offering an associate degree in optometry:
Thai students enter optometry degree program at the end of their 12th grade through an examination. Six years university degree program with Doctor of Optometry degree is a requirement for licensing optometry in Thailand. Currently, there is only one well established optometry program in Thailand with academic cooperation from many optometry colleges and universities from the US.
There are 9 educational institutions in the United Kingdom offering degrees in optometry. Six are located in England with one optometry school in each of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Additionally, in England, the Institute of Optometry offers a postgraduate professional doctorate in optometry in partnership with London South Bank University.
There are 20 American educational institutions offering doctorate level programs in optometry. The programs generally have an undergraduate degree as a prerequisite, and then run four years addressing academic and clinical topics.