Optometry - BSc (Hons)

Students become primary eyecare practitioners with expert knowledge of the eye and the visual system. They gain the knowledge and skills that are necessary to diagnose visual problems and offer treatment options, which may be in the form of optical lenses or visual training.

The journey to becoming an eyecare practitioner begins with a strong foundation in basic life sciences, followed by a thorough grounding in the optometric sciences. In the second half of the programme, students acquire clinical skills that enable them to effectively manage a wide variety of visual problems. The five semesters of supervised clinical training with real patients in our Optometry Clinic and our satellite clinics give students many opportunities to learn to care for patients and consolidate their clinical skills and knowledge.

Throughout the programme, students learn about ethical, professional and legal issues in preparation for clinical practice.

Graduates are eligible for full registration in Part I of the Register of the Optometrists Board of Hong Kong. They can also practise optometry in Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. Besides, graduates are eligible to sit the Competency in Optometry Examination (COE) and Assessment of Competence in Ocular Therapeutics (ACOT) hosted by the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand.

Optometrists are the main providers of vision care in the community. Most of our graduates initially enter optometric practice as employees. Many subsequently establish their own practices. Some of them work in government agencies such as the Hospital Authority and the Department of Health.

Apart from optometric practice, there are also opportunities in the optical industry, particularly in the area of professional services. A small number of our graduates pursue postgraduate research studies locally and overseas.