Optometry

Optometry is the healthcare profession responsible for examining the eyes and visual system, identifying conditions that affect sight, and prescribing and fitting corrective lenses and other forms of visual correction. Optometrists work on the primary care front line of eye health, detecting not only refractive errors such as short-sightedness and astigmatism but also the early signs of systemic diseases including diabetes and hypertension that can manifest in the eye before symptoms appear elsewhere. The role combines precise scientific measurement with patient-centred care and clinical judgement.

At Aston University, this four-year degree provides the academic knowledge and clinical training required to register as an optometrist with the General Optical Council. The programme covers the anatomy and physiology of the eye, optics and the physics of vision, visual perception, pharmacology as it relates to ocular conditions, and the examination and management of a wide range of eye conditions. Clinical placements are embedded throughout the degree, giving you progressively more responsibility for real patient care under supervision and developing the communication and professional skills that optometric practice demands.

Aston has a long-standing reputation in optometry, and the programme is designed with the requirements of professional registration and further clinical development in mind.

Qualification as an optometrist opens a structured professional career, primarily in optical practices and community optometry but also in hospital eye services and specialist clinical roles. Independent prescribing qualifications, which can be pursued after registration, significantly extend what qualified optometrists can diagnose and treat, making the profession increasingly aligned with broader primary care responsibilities. Roles in optics industry, contact lens development, and vision research are further pathways, as are positions in visual science research and academic optometry.

The profession has a clear progression framework, with opportunities to develop specialist clinical expertise, manage or own a practice, or move into education and research.