Mapping the profession across Europe

The European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO) has released a new overview of the optometry and optics professions across Europe to support future planning for eye care.

The Blue Book 2025 gathers data from 27 member countries, mapping the practices and roles of the workforce in order to equip policymakers, educators and practitioners with information necessary to plan for the future of eye care in Europe, the council shared.

ECOO said the paper demonstrated that: “Opticians and optometrists are at the heart of community-based eye care, forming the backbone of primary eye care in Europe.”

Gabriëlle Janssen, president of ECOO, said: “The optical and optometric sector continues to play a vital role in safeguarding vision and eye health across Europe.”

“With increasing recognition of the importance of primary eye care in public health systems, there is a pressing need for reliable, comparative information on how these professions are structured, educated, and regulated,” Janssen continued.

The paper outlines how optometrists and opticians across Europe are trained, the services they provide, the scope of practice and competences.

For the 2025 edition, the data collection has been aligned with the World Council of Optometry’s Global Competency-Based Framework for Eye Care to compare roles, educational pathways, and clinical responsibilities.

Janssen shared: “By mapping out both the common ground and the diversity of national contexts, the Blue Book supports a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges within the sector.”

The optical and optometric sector continues to play a vital role in safeguarding vision and eye health across Europe

The new edition of the Blue Book indicates “growth and evolution of optometry and optics across Europe” since the 2020 publication, with the number of eye care professionals and post-graduate educational qualifications continuing to increase.

Identifying trends that could shape the future of eye care in Europe, the paper identifies “a stronger emphasis on prevention, particularly in the area of myopia management, alongside a growing focus on the early detection of eye disease.”

Ophthalmic care is becoming more multidisciplinary, ECOO found, with the shifting of tasks recognising the “vital role of optometrists and opticians as the first point of contact for patients and as primary eye care providers.”

Innovation in technology continues to be a driver for change in both clinical practice and patient experience, ECOO noted, while there is increasing support for more sustainable practices.

ECOO found that 16 countries offer a master’s in optometry, while 23 offer a bachelor in optometry, and 15 offer a diploma in optics, diploma in refraction or a bachelor in optics.

The paper also notes that 14 countries require evidence of continuing education for professionals, while voluntary schemes are in place in others.

The Blue Book shares an overview of the profession in numbers, represented in figures per 10,000 population to allow for comparison of the data. The UK was presented with 2.60 optometrists per 10,000 population and 0.99 dispensing opticians per 10,000 population.

The Blue Book explores competences across Europe in what eye care professionals are trained to do. The UK and Ireland were two of only 37% of countries where optometrists can be qualified to demonstrate knowledge of appropriate prescription of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents for different conditions.

Only 11% of professionals in the countries included in the paper, including the UK and Ireland, can prescribe pharmacological and other regimens to treat ocular disease and injury.

For the first time, the Blue Book also includes contributions from partner organisations outside of ECOO membership, with guest chapters from NielsenlQ and EuromContact.

An infographic presenting key findings from the Blue Book 2025 has been made available.