Healthcare is always a popular field for young people thinking of their future careers. But it’s not just about medicine or nursing – there’s a wide range of rewarding options, for people with all kinds of talents and interests.
Eyecare has pathways that appeal to all sorts of interests, skills and talents. From healthcare to fashion, technology to retail, management, design or manufacturing, there’s a role for everyone.
Optics has careers that offer recruits the chance to earn while they learn through apprenticeships and diplomas, while others are direct entry to work, or involve traditional university degrees.
Careers in eyecare lesson plan
This lesson on eyecare careers linked to STEM is for students in Year 10 and takes an hour.
Career options
The dispensing optician (DO)
A dispensing optician (DO) advises on, fits and supplies the most appropriate spectacles after taking account of each person’s visual, lifestyle and vocational needs. Find more information, including typical salaries, here.
The ophthalmologist
Ophthalmologists are qualified doctors and surgeons who diagnose and treat patients with diseases of the eye and visual system. Find more information about careers in surgery here.
The optometrist
An optometrist is a health professional qualified to examine the eyes to detect defects in vision, signs of injury, ocular diseases or abnormality and treat some eye conditions. Find further information, including typical salaries, here.
The optical assistant
Optical assistants welcome customers, helping them choose the right products for eyecare and eyewear. They may play a role in healthcare, under supervision, such as completing health screenings before eye tests.
The ophthalmic nurse
Ophthalmic nurses qualify in nursing before going on to specialise in eyes. They work in hospitals, providing care for people with eye diseases and injuries.
The optical technician
Laboratory technicians are trained to make and glaze spectacles. They may be attached to an opticians’ practice or work in a laboratory that has a range of customers. Find out more about the role of an optical technician.
The lens designer
A lens designer works for an eyewear company, creating new products or technologies based on detailed research. Find out more about lens design here.
The orthoptist
Orthoptists diagnose and manage a range of conditions that affect eye movement and visual development, such as squint. They study the role of the brain in controlling the eyes. For more information, including typical salaries, see National Careers Service
Other eyecare careers
Find even more roles to explore here, including our ‘day in the life’ articles, showing you what it’s really like to work in the field. Meet everyone from a dispensing optician who runs their own practice to the optical assistant succeeding in his career despite living with anxiety.
More resources
- All about eyecare and dispensing opticians from the Association of British Dispensing Opticians
- Information about careers in ophthalmology from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists
- Information about optometry from the College of Optometrists