Comprehensive professional services are only available from registered opticians.
Optometrists (Ophthalmic Opticians)
Optometrists test sight and prescribe and dispense spectacles and contact lenses. They are University trained to recognise disease and abnormality in the eye. There are currently over 9,000practising optometrists in Great Britain. Optometrists are regulated by the General Optical Council.
Dispensing Opticians
Dispensing Opticians dispense, fit and supply spectacles; some also undergo additional training and certification to fit contact lenses. Dispensing opticians interpret a patient's visual and fitting requirements and translate the prescription into specifications and instructions for the optical manufacturer. There are 5,219 dispensing opticians in Great Britain registered with and regulated by the General Optical Council.
Ophthalmic Medical Practitioners (OMPs)
OMPs are doctors who specialise in eye care. In 2005/06 they conducted 2.3% of the total number of sight tests*. There were 477 OMPs in Great Britain at the end of 2005 according to the British Medical Association (BMA). OMPs are regulated by the General Medical Council.
*Sight Tests Volume & Workforce Survey, 2006
