List of optometry schools


The following list of optometry schools covers many countries, although the list is not exhaustive. Internationally, optometry as a profession includes different levels of education. 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 is now established at University of Melbourne and OD is described as "an internationally recognised qualification and the gold standard for optometry education."

Australia

Bangladesh

  • 4 Years Bachelor of Science in optometry course in Institute of Community Ophthalmology, Chittagong Medical University since 2010 www.icoedu.org

Brazil

Bulgaria

Canada

Colombia

Czech Republic

Oman

Ecuador

El Salvador

France

Ghana

Greece

Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Department of Optics and Optometry

Hong Kong

Hungary

Semmelweis University, Faculty of Health Sciences - Optometry within Medical Diagnostic Analysis Bsc –

India

At present there are more than fifty schools of optometry in India. In 1958, two schools of optometry were established, one at Gandhi Eye Hospital, Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh and the other 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 diplomas in optometry courses of two years duration validated by state medical faculties. Subsequently, four more schools were opened across India at Sitapur Eye Hospital, Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, Chennai in Tamil Nadu, Bengalooru in Karnataka, and Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
The Elite School of Optometry was established in 1985 at Chennai and was the first to offer a four-year degree course. This was followed by All India institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and in Kerala, Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Thiruvananthapuram is the first government colleges to offer a bachelor's degree in optometry in 2010; were considered as the best in excellence from Govt. of India.
The following list includes educational institutions offering four year degree courses, two or three year diploma courses and also non-degree courses. Post-graduate education in optometry is also offered in India leading to M.Optom, M.Sc. and Ph.D. by several universities.
  • Aarupadai Veedu Medical College, Pondicherry
  • Al Salama College of Optometry, Perinthalmanna, Calicut, Kannur, All in Kerala and Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
  • All India Institute of Optometrical Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal
  • IIMT University, Meerut
  • Amity University, Gurgaon, Haryana
  • Advanced College of Optometry & Health Sciences, Sanpada, Navi Mumbai
  • Bareilly Institute of ParaMedical Sciences & S.S. Hospital, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh
  • Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Medical College, School of Optometry, Pune, Maharashtra
  • Brien Holden Institute of Optometry and Vision Sciences, LVPEI, Hyderabad
  • Rayhan Eye hospital and Institute of Optometry, Edappal, Triprayar, Kondotty, Tirur All in Kerala and Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
  • Bharatimaiya College of Optometry, Surat, Gujrat
  • Brainware University, Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Dr. Anand College of Optometry and Vision Science, Salem, Tamil Nadu
  • Dr. DY Patil Institute of Optometry & Visual Science University Maharashtra
  • Dr. N.T.R. University Of Health Sciences Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh
  • Elite School of Optometry, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
  • FAHS, Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation, Salem Tamil Nadu
  • Govt. Medical college Kozhikode
  • George college of management and science
  • Himalayan University, Arunachal Pradesh
  • IGNOU, Delhi
  • ITM Institute of Health Science, University, Mumbai, Maharastra
  • ITM Vocational University, Vadodara,Gujarat
  • Jadhavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Jamia Hamdard University, Delhi
  • Jankalyan Eye Hospital Educational and research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
  • J.R.N. Rajasthan vidyapeeth University, Rajasthan
  • Kalyani University, Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Kerala University of Health and Allied sciences.
  • Laxmi College of Optometry, Mumbai, Maharastra
  • Lotus College of Optometry, Mumbai, Maharastra
  • Madurai Kamraj University, Tamil Nadu
  • Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka
  • Martin Luther King University, Shillog, Meghalaya
  • Municipal Eye Hospital, School of Optometry, Mumbai, Maharastra
  • Nagar school of Optometry, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujrat
  • Netaji Subhash Institute of Optometry, Mumbai
  • Netrajyothi college of Health Science, Bangalore, Karnataka
  • NIMS University, Rajasthan
  • NSHM College of Management & Technology, NSHM Knowledge Campus, Durgapur, West Bengal
  • NSHM Knowledge Campus, Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Rabindra Bharti University, Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
  • RGUHS, Karnataka
  • Sankara College of Optometry, Bangalore, Karnataka
  • Sankara College of Optometry, Ludhiana, Punjab
  • Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
  • Shri Ganpati Netralaya College of Optometry, Jalna, Maharastra
  • Dr. Agarwals Institute of Optometry, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
  • Shri Rajaram Memorial Eye Hospital, Optometry research & Training Institute, Banda, Uttar Pradesh
  • Shri Vaishnav Polytechnic College, Indore
  • Sri Ramchandra University, Porur, Tamil Nadu
  • Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Science, Assam
  • SRM University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
  • Susruta School of Optometry & Visual Sciences, Cochin, Kerala
  • The Tamil Nadu Dr.M.G.R Medical University Chennai, Tamil Nadu
  • Tripura University, Agartala, Tripura
  • School of Allied Health Sciences, Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation, Chennai Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
  • School of Medical sciences, University of Hyderabad, Telangana.
  • University of Mumbai, Maharashtra
  • Uttrakhand University, Uttrakhand
  • Vasan Institute of Ophthalmology and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
  • Vasan Institute of Ophthalmology and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
  • Vasan Institute of Ophthalmology and Research, Salem, Tamil Nadu
  • Veer Narmad South Gujrat University, Surat, Gujrat
  • Vidyasagar College of Optometry and Vision Science, Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Vinayaka Missions Medical College, Karaikal, Pondicherry
  • West Bengal University of technology, Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nasik, Maharashtra

Iran

Mazandaran university of medical science دانشگاه علوم پزشکی مازندران

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Currently there are seven state universities offering three-year university degrees in optics and optometry, formally a kind of a physics degree.
Optometry education in Italy starts in 1969–70. Some post-secondary non-university courses are currently active. Their program can be accessed only by licensed opticians. Some of the more appreciated schools are:

Latvia

Lebanon

Malaysia

Mexico

Nepal

  • Tribhuwan University, B.P. Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies, Maharajgunj Medical Campus - four-year bachelor's degree program only, with no post-graduate programs available
  • National Academy of Medical Sciences Bir Hospital has launched "Bachelor in Optometry and Vision Science" program in 2018. It is a four years program and the total quota for the enrollment is 40 only.

The Netherlands

New Zealand

Nigeria

There are seven schools offering the O.D. degree.

Norway

Pakistan

  • College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision science, KEMU, Lahore
  • Fatima Memorial College of Medicine and Dentistry, Lahore
  • Isra School of Optometry, Isra University, Karachi
  • University of Lahore, Islamabad Campus, Islamabad
  • Superior University Lahore
  • Munawar Memorial Hospital & College of Optometry, Chakwal
  • Pakistan Institute of Community Ophthalmology, Peshawar
  • Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology, Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Rawalpindi
  • Pakistan Institute of Rehabilitation Science, ISRA University Islamabad Campus, Islamabad
  • Basheer Institute of Medical Sciences, Bara Khau, Islamabad
  • Pef University College, Peshawar
  • Rashid Latif Medical College
  • Rawalpindi Medical College, Rawalpindi
  • The University of Faisalabad
  • University of Lahore, Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Lahore

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Russia

  • The Helmholtz Research Institute for Eye Diseases
  • Saint Petersburg Medical Technical College

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

In 2009 University of Manchester and Singapore Polytechnic set up a degree course in optometry within the premises of Singapore Polytechnic. The degree is not recognised by the General Optical Council in the United Kingdom. This course has since been stopped due to staffing issues.
  • Singapore Polytechnic

South Africa

4 Year bachelor's degrees including clinical optometry

Sri Lanka

School of Ophthalmic Technology, established in 1983 by the Ministry of Health at National Eye Hospital Colombo with the initiation of Dr. C E Parker III., honours the diploma in ophthalmic technology. However, a degree program does not exist. These ophthalmic technologists are trained for government hospitals.
Optometry courses are conducted by private institutes such as Sri Lanka Optometric Association, Eye Care Institute, and Vision Care Academy.
However, the government of Sri Lanka does not recognize optometry as a profession and has no regulations to date.

Sudan

Established in 1954 as institute of optometry in Khartoum eye hospital.
Joined ministry of Higher Education in 1986 as the High Institute of Optometry, and lastly was annexed to Alneelain University in 1997 when it was re- named to become Faculty of Optometry and Visual Sciences.
Currently FOVS has the following programs:
1- BSc optometry in 5 years
2. BSc in ophthalmic technology in 4years.
3. BSc in optical dispensary in 4 years
2- Diploma in ophthalmic technology in 3 years.
3- Diploma in optical dispensary in 3 years.
FOVS also offers MSc and PhD degrees in optometry with sub- specialization in either binocular vision, contact lenses, ocular photography, neurology of vision, low vision, primary eye care and pediatric optometry
FOVS is the only of its kind in Sudan and is the first in Middle East and Africa.
In 2010, Alneelain University Eye Hospital was established as part of FOVS to expand training capacity and to serve community.
Ibnsina university 4-year bachelor'sFaculty of optometry and visual sciences
Makka eye college 4-year bachelor'sFaculty of optometry and visual sciences
University of Western Kordufan University 4-year bachelor's Faculty of optometry and visual sciences

Sweden

Switzerland

Taiwan

There are currently seven universities offering a bachelor's degree in optometry and four educational institutions offering an associate degree in optometry:

Thailand

Trinidad & Tobago

United Kingdom

There are 12 educational institutions in the United Kingdom offering degrees in optometry. Nine 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 post-graduate professional doctorate in partnership with London South Bank University. The Doctor of Optometry postgraduate degree is also offered at Aston University, Birmingham. The Aston Doctor of Optometry includes academic modules in independent pharmaceutical prescribing, alongside advanced optometry modules in glaucoma, retinal/macular disease, myopia and many others.

England

Wales

Scotland

Northern Ireland

United States

Twenty-three American educational institutions offer the Doctor of Optometry degree.