Schools of Optometry

 

List of optometry schools

The following list of optometry schools covers many countries.

These 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.

This is a list of optometry schools sorted alphabetically by country.

Australia  Brazil  Canada  Colombia  Czech Republic  Ghana  Hong Kong  India  Iran Ireland Israel Italy Latvia Malaysia Mexico Nepal The Netherlands New Zealand Nigeria Norway Pakistan Philippines Portugal Russia Saudi Arabia Singapore South Africa Sri Lanka Sudan Taiwan Thailand United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland United States of America References See also

Australia

There are four educational institutions offering degrees in optometry. There are two five-year bachelor level degrees that incorporate the therapeutic management of ocular disease. 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 (M Optom) 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.

• University of Melbourne  BOptom
• University of New South Wales BOptom/BSc(Vision Science)
• Queensland University of Technology BAppSc(Optom) - Replaced with Bachelor of Vision Science / Master of Optometry from February 2009. The first class from the new course will graduate in 2013.
• Flinders University Bachelor of Medical Science (Vision Science), Master of Optometry
• Deakin University Bachelor, graduate entry and Masters degrees.

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], 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 funded jointly by the two largest corporate dispensing chains in Autralia Specsavers and Luxottica.

Brazil

Universidade do Contestado as a partner of Fundación Universitaria San Martín, of Bogotá, Colombia.

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.

Canada

There are two Canadian educational institutions offering doctorate level degrees in optometry:

• University of Waterloo School of Optometry, Ontario  
• Université de Montréal, Québec
• Colombia

There are seven Colombian educational institutions offering degrees in optometry. Two of them offer postgraduate courses: Universidad Santo Tomas in Bucaramanga and Universidad de La Salle in Bogota, only one offers a Master in Vision Science: Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá.

• Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá
• Universidad Santo Tomás, Bucaramanga
• Universidad Metropolitana, Barranquilla
• Fundación Universitaria del Area Andina, Pereira & Bogotá
• Fundación Universitaria San Martín, Bogotá
• Universidad Antonio Nariño, Bogotá
• Universidad del Bosque, Bogotá 

 

Czech Republic

Presently, there are two Czech universities running optometry programme (both bachelor and master degrees):

• Masaryk University in Brno
• Palacký University in Olomouc

Ghana

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.

• University of Cape Coast
• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Hong Kong

There is currently 1 university offering bachelor's degree in optometry and graduate degree in visual science.

• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

India

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 realized by Professor A.K .Banerjee, which 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. 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 and Sankara College of Optometry in the state of Karnataka launched under the aegis of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. 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).It should be noted that definition of optometry differs considerably in different countries of the world. 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.

Educational Institutions

1.  All India Institute of Optometrical Sciences (AIIOS), Kolkata. [B. S. (Optometry)]

2.  Nethradhama  school of optometry, Bangalore.

3. Aditya Jyot Institute of Optometry, Mumbai (B.Sc)

4. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi (B.Ophthal.Tech)

5. Bausch & Lomb School of Optometry, Hyderabad (B.S.Optometry)

6. Bharati Vidyapeeth's Medical College, Pune

  ( B.Optom and M.Optom)

7. College of Optometry and Ophthalmic Sciences, Nasik  ( B.Sc Optometry)

8. Elite School of Optometry, Chennai  ( B.S.Optometry and M.Phil optometry)

9. Manipal College of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal University, Manipal

   (B.Optom & M.Optom)

10. Lions Arvind Institute of Community Ophthalmology, Madurai( Diploma)

11. MEH School of Optometry, Mumbai (Diploma)

12. Nagar School of Optometry, Ahmedabad B.Optom and M.Optom

13. Optometry Research & Training Institute (ORTI), Uttar Pradesh

14. Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital & Institute of Ophthalmology, Hyderabad (Diploma)

16. Schells Eye Hospital (Unit of Christian Medical College), Vellore (B.Sc)

16. School of Optometry, Gandhi Eye Hospital, Aligarh

17. School of Optometry, Janakalyan Eye Hospital, Lucknow

18. School of Optometry: Regional institute of Ophthalmology, Government Ophthalmic Hospital, Chennai (Diploma)

19. School of Orthoptics & Optometry, Sitapur

20. The Lotus College of Optometry, Mumbai(B.Sc -Open university YCMOU, M.Sc( Private Certificate)

21. Harijyot college of optometry, Navsari, Gujarat ( B.Sc,M.Sc)

22. Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh

23. M.N.College of Optometry, Chennai (B.Sc)

24. College of Optometry, Miraj, Maharashtra

25. Lotus Bausch & Lomb Institute of Optometry, Lotus Eye Care Hospital, Coimbatore

26. Shri Prakash Institute Of Optometry (Unit of Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital & Eye Research Centre),19 Cathedral Road, Chennai

27. NSHM Knowledge Campus (Dept. of Optometry & Vision Science), Durgapur, (B. Optm, Masters in Applied Optometry & Visual Science) West Bengal

28. Sankara College of Optometry, Bangalore (A unit of Sankara Eye Care Institutions, India)

29. George College of Management and Science, Kolkata

30. Hyderabad Central University, (offers MSc in Optometry and Vision Sciences)

31. NIMS University, Udaipur, Rajasthan (offers Degree and Diploma courses in Optometry)

32. U.P. State Medical Faculty (validates courses leading to Diplomas in Optometry and Orthoptics)

33. J.N.R.V.University, Udaipur, Rajasthan

34. I.G.O.N.University, Delhi

35. West Bengal Technology University

36. Malabar College of Health Education, Bharathiyar University, Calicut, Kerala

37. Rayhan Eye Hospital & Laser centre,Edappal,Malappuram District,Kerala Under IGNOU & Bharathiar University

38. Pailan college of management & technology joka , kolkata.

39. Academi of Optometrist, Kolkata.

Iran

• Shahid Beshti medical university  Tehran
• Mashhad University of Medical Sciences  Mashhad
• Iran University of Medical Sciences   Tehran
• Zahedan University of Medical Sciences  zahedan.

Rayhan eye hospital,Calicut Road,Edappal Under IGNOU and Bharathiar University

Ireland

There is only one optometry program in the Republic of Ireland. This program leads to a BSc (Optometry).

• Dublin Institute of Technology [35] Dublin

Israel

There are two optometry programmes in the State of Israel; one at Bar-Ilan University and the other at Hadassah College

Italy

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.

• University of Milan, Italy
• University of Padua, Italy

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 an 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.

Latvia

There is currently one university in Latvia offering an optometry programme (both bachelor and master degrees):

• University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia

Malaysia

Currently there are 6 educational institutions offering degrees in optometry:

• Universiti Teknologi MARA
• Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
• International Islamic University Malaysia
• SEGi University College
• Management & Science University
• National Institute of Ophthalmology

Mexico

Mexico has seven  Schools of Optometry at University level:

• Universidad Nacional Autonoma De Mexico
• Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Unidad Santo Tomas 
• Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Unidad Milpa Alta
• Universidad Autonoma De Aguascalientes
• Universidad Xochicalco, Campus Ensenada
• Universidad Xochicalco, Campus Tijuana
• Universidad Autonoma De Ciudad Juarez 

Nepal

Nepal has a four-year bachelor degree in optometry at B.P.Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies, 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)

• B.P.Koirala Lions Centre for ophthalmic studies

Netherlands

• University of applied sciences Utrecht.

The Netherlands has a four-year bachelor degree.

 

 

 

New Zealand

New Zealand has a five-year bachelor degree (B Optom). 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:

• University of Auckland

Nigeria

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.

Norway

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.

• Buskerud University College

Pakistan

Following Pakistani educational institutions offering degrees in optometry:

• Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology

PIO situated at Rawalpindi in Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital.

• College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Sciences

COAVS situated Mayo hospital at Lahore.

• Isra university

isra post graduate institute of opthalamology, isra school of optometry , al ibraheem eye hospital , old thana, malir karachi.

• secretariat.coavs@gmail.com
• pakistan institute of community ophthalmology

PICO situated at Peshawar.

• Rawalpindi medical college Rawalpindi

RMC situate at Rawalpindi Pakistan offering 4 years BSC optometry degree.

• Munawar Memorial Hospital CHAKWAL

Offers 4 years BSC Hons degree in Optometry

Philippines

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:

• Centro Escolar University
• De Ocampo Memorial Colleges
• Manila Central University
• Southwestern University (Philippines)
• University of Baguio
• Cebu Doctors' University
• Central Colleges of the Philippines
• Pines City College (Pines City Educational Center)
• Davao Doctors College
• Lyceum-Northwestern University
• Mindanao Medical Foundation College

 

Portugal

There are 2 Portuguese educational institutions offering degrees in optometry:

• University of Minho
• University of Beira Interior

 Russia

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), VT, 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.

1. St. Petersburg State Medical Technical College (former St. Petersburg State College of Medical Electronics and Optics)

In Russian: САНКТ-ПЕТЕРБУРГСКИЙ МЕДИКО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЙ КОЛЛЕДЖ МИНЗДРАВА РОССИИ / Санкт-Петербургский колледж медицинской электроники и оптики

http://www.mtkspb.ru

2. The Helmholz Research Institute for Eye Diseases

In Russian: Московский научно-исследовательский институт глазных болезней им.Гельмгольца

http://www.helmholtzeyeinstitute.ru/rus/index.php

Saudi Arabia

There are two optometry schools in Saudi Arabia :

1) King Saud University, Riyadh, which offers BS degree in optometry (BSOpt). It is the first university that started the optometry program in the middle-East region. Program started with only five faculty members from United States and United Kingdom. The school offers Bachelor of Sciences in optometry. To achieve this degree, students have to complete 6-year program (5 years of course work and clinic practice, ending with a final project in vision sciences field + 1 internship year in three Saudi Eye Hospitals). Student then assigned as Qualified Practical Optometrist. Also, the school offers Msc degree for 2 years.    www.ksu.edu.sa

2) Qassim university, Buraidah, which offers optometry doctor degree (OD). The department has been opened at the second semester of the university year 1428/1429 (2007/2008). The O.D program is a doctorate program with 7 years studies and a total credit of no less than 200 hours compared to 140 hours in the bachelor system.

www.qucams.edu.sa

Singapore

There is currently one school of optometry in Singapore:

• Ngee Ann Polytechnic
• 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 not recognized by the General Optical Council (GOC) in the United Kingdom, although it is recognized in Singapore by the Optometrists and Opticians Board (OOB). Graduates from this University of Manchester degree in optometry course will be able to register with OOB and practice legally in Singapore. In the future OOB may also allow registered graduates to use diagnostic drugs.

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.

South Africa

University of Johannesburg, Gauteng

University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville campus, Durban

University of Free State, Bloemfontein, Free State

University of Limpopo

Sri Lanka

School of Ophthalmic Technology established in 1983 by ministry of health at national eye hospital colombo with the inititation of Dr. C E Parker III. honours the Diploma in Ophthalmic technologist. Still degree programme doesnot exist. these ophthalmic technologists are trained for the purpose of goverment hospitals. course also under gone by other SAARC countries Nepal, Maldives and Pakistan. mean time part time courses are conducted by private institutes for to provide diploma for private sectors. Namely EYE CARE INSTITUTE and SRI LANKA OPTOMETRIST ASSOCIATION. but still goverment of sri lanka doesnot recognized as profession and has no rule and regulation up to date.

Sudan

Al-Neelain University offers a 5-year bachelor degree in optometry and visual science

Taiwan

There is currently 1 university offering a bachelor's degree in optometry and 2 educational institutions offering an associate degree in optometry:

• Chung Shan Medical University
• Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing, and Management 
• Shu-Zen College of Medicine and Management

Thailand

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.

• Ramkhamhaeng University

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

There are 8 United Kingdom educational institutions offering degrees in optometry. Five 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.

England

• Anglia Ruskin University - Cambridge
• University of Aston - Birmingham
• University of Bradford
•  City University - London
• University of Manchester

Wales

Cardiff University

Scotland

Glasgow Caledonian University

Northern Ireland

University of Ulster - Coleraine campus

United States of America

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.

• AL: University of Alabama at Birmingham
• AZ: Midwestern University-Arizona College of Optometry [Glendale, AZ]
• CA: University of California, Berkeley
• CA: Southern California College of Optometry
• CA: Western University of Health Sciences 
• FL: Nova Southeastern University
• IL: Illinois College of Optometry 
• IN: Indiana University
• MA: New England College of Optometry 
• MI: Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University 
• MO: University of Missouri St. Louis
• NY: State University of New York 
• OH: Ohio State University
• OK: Northeastern State University 
• OR: Pacific University
• PA: Pennsylvania College of Optometry 
• PR: Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, School of Optometry 
• TN: Southern College of Optometry
• TX: University of Houston
• TX: University of the Incarnate Word

References

1.             Agarwal, R. (2000), Optometry as an international profession, British Journal   of Optometry and Dispensing, 8(4),120.

2.       http://www.optometry.unimelb.edu.au/courses/OD.html

3.      Agarwal, R. K. (1970), Optometry in India, The Optician, July 3, page 18 (published in London, England).

4.      Anon (2010), Organization and Institution News, Plan to boost Indian optometry endorsed, Optometry and Vision Science, Volume 87, Number 7, page 520.

5.      Agarwal, R. K. (1985), Optometry in the Indian sub-continent, Optometry Today, Volume 25, No. 14, page 475 (published by the Association of Optometrists, London, England)

6.      University of Benin http://www.uniben.edu

7.      uniben.waeup.org