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Studies & Degrees in Optometry

Optometry is the health profession that looks after vision. Optometrists examine eyes, measure refractive errors such as short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism, and prescribe glasses, contact lenses and other visual aids. They also detect eye diseases such as glaucoma and refer patients to other health professionals when needed. The profession is regulated in most countries, so the title, the length of the studies and what an optometrist may do differ from one country to another.

Three occupations are easy to confuse. Ophthalmologists are physicians who specialise in the eye and perform a wider range of surgery. Opticians fit and adjust glasses. Optometrists stand between the two: they are the first point of contact for eye examinations and vision correction. In Spain the two roles of optician and optometrist are joined in one profession, the óptico-optometrista.

What students learn

An optometry degree combines physics, biology and clinical practice. The Spanish rules for the degree give a good picture of the content. They require basic sciences (60 ECTS credits), optics (30), pathology of the visual system (18), optometry (48) and supervised practice with a final degree project (24). Students study how light and lenses work, the anatomy and physiology of the eye, eye diseases and pharmacology, and the clinical techniques of an eye examination. Contact lens fitting, vision therapy, low vision and the care of children and older patients are part of the optometry block. Work with real patients in a university clinic or in placements comes in the final years.

Qualifications and levels

  • Spain. Óptico-optometrista is a regulated profession that requires the official bachelor's degree (grado), which has 240 ECTS credits. At the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), for example, the Grado en Óptica y Optometría lasts four academic years, is taught face to face at the Facultad de Óptica y Optometría de Terrassa and is an official degree entered in the ministry's register. The UPC gives an approximate price of €1,061 per year, or €1,800 for students who are not resident in the EU.
  • United Kingdom. According to the College of Optometrists, optometrists complete an integrated master's degree of four years (five in Scotland), which must include 48 weeks of patient-facing experience. Students must be registered with the General Optical Council (GOC) throughout the degree, and register with it as optometrists after graduating.
  • United States. Optometrists need a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), O.D. programmes take four years, applicants must have completed at least three years of undergraduate education and typically hold a bachelor's degree, and every state requires a licence. Some graduates add one year of advanced clinical training in a specialist area.
  • Postgraduate study. Master's degrees and doctorates in vision science, clinical optometry or optical engineering lead to specialised clinical work, research and teaching.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 29 active schools for optometry. Sixteen are in Spain and seven in the United States; the United Kingdom has two, and Australia, Ireland, Ukraine and Argentina have one each. In Spain the directory includes the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, which has its own Facultad de Óptica y Optometría, the UPC, and the universities of Murcia, Granada, Alicante, Zaragoza, Valencia and Santiago de Compostela. Examples abroad are the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Ferris State University in the United States, The University of Manchester in the United Kingdom and the Universidad Nacional de La Plata in Argentina.

Spanish degrees are taught mainly in Spanish, or in Spanish and the co-official language of the region, and degrees in the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland and Australia are taught in English. Because the profession is regulated, a qualification from one country does not automatically allow practice in another. Before enrolling, ask the school and the regulator of the country where you want to work how the degree is recognised there.

Careers

Most optometrists work in optical practices and eye clinics. The UPC lists the main outlets for its graduates: optical establishments, health centres, primary care and hospitals, ophthalmology clinics, the fitting of glasses and contact lenses, visual rehabilitation, the optical industry and optical engineering, and teaching and research.

In the United States, optometrists held about 45,100 jobs in 2025, and 61 percent of them worked in offices of optometrists, according to the BLS. It projects employment to grow 10 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,000 openings a year, partly because vision problems become more frequent with age.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become an optometrist?

It depends on the country. In Spain the bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits and takes four years. In the United Kingdom it is a four-year integrated master's degree (five years in Scotland). In the United States the Doctor of Optometry takes four years after at least three years of undergraduate study.

What is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist?

An ophthalmologist is a physician who specialises in the eye and performs a wider range of surgery. An optometrist examines eyes, prescribes glasses and contact lenses, and detects eye conditions, with a scope of practice set by each country or state.

Is optometry a regulated profession in Spain?

Yes. Practising as an óptico-optometrista requires the official bachelor's degree that meets the requirements of Orden CIN/727/2009.

Can I work in another country with my optometry degree?

Not automatically. Each country regulates the profession, so you need to ask its regulator, such as the General Optical Council in the United Kingdom or the state licensing board in the United States, what recognition or extra examinations are required.