Optometrists invited to complete workplace wellbeing survey

Optometrists are being encouraged to complete a 10-minute workplace wellbeing survey as part of Keele University research.

Independent prescribing (IP) optometrist and primary researcher, Ben Ayliffe, is conducting the survey as part of his Master’s in Management at Keele University.

“Although burnout and absenteeism have been widely studied in medicine and nursing, research in optometry is still limited. International evidence shows that roughly half of optometrists in the US and Australia experience burnout symptoms,” he said.

Ayliffe shared that the research aims to identify key factors that influence job satisfaction and burnout within optometry.

“By capturing optometrists’ experiences, values, and challenges, the findings will inform practical strategies to enhance productivity, retention, and professional wellbeing. This can help create a more sustainable future where optometrists thrive rather than being left behind,” he said.

The IP optometrist noted that all UK-based optometrists and pre-registration optometrists are eligible to complete the anonymous survey.

“Everyone’s experience matters, whether they love their job, feel challenged, or are somewhere in between,” he said.

“The covers your professional background and basic demographic details before capturing the real experience of optometrists across the UK, from day-to-day job satisfaction and workload pressures to wellbeing, development, and future career plans,” Ayliffe explained.

The survey can be completed online until 31 August 2026.