Annual Salary
£37,000 to £61,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Maths or STEM or go back to all job sectors
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Optometrists test vision, identify eye health problems, prescribe glasses and fit contact lenses.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings; on shifts
There will be
3.8% more Optometrist jobs in 2027.
As an optometrist you could:
You could work at a store, in an NHS or private hospital, at a GP practice or in a laboratory.
You can get into this job through a university course or by working towards this role.
To become an optometrist you'll need to:get a degree in optometry, approved by the General Optical Council (GOC); complete a pre-registration work placement which takes 1 year and you'll be supervised by a registered optometrist; pass the GOC final assessment to qualify
You'll usually need:
If you're working as a dispensing optician, you could retrain to become an optometrist.
You'll need to complete an approved optometry degree and pre-registration year.
You'll find it helpful to get some work experience in healthcare before you apply for a course.
You could also contact high street opticians directly for information on work experience schemes.
You'll need to:
You can find out more about working in optometry from:The College of Optometrists; General Optical Council; Health Careers
With experience you could:specialise in an area like contact lenses, sports vision, low vision or working with children; study for a postgraduate master's degree in optometry; train further in prescribing drugs for certain eye problems or working with specific conditions like diabetes or glaucoma
Opportunities are available with employers such as Specsavers
You'll need: