Doctor of Optometry (MC-DOPTOM)

Optometrists are independent, primary health care professionals trained to examine the eyes and visual system. Optometrists diagnose, treat and manage diseases and injuries of the eye and associated structures. Optometrists are experts in the management of vision disorders, and in the correction of reduced vision. Numerous systemic conditions affect vision and ocular structures, so optometrists also play an important role in identifying general health disorders. Optometrists prescribe spectacles, contact lenses, medications for ocular conditions, vision therapy, and low vision rehabilitation.

The Doctor of Optometry (OD) is a masters-level professional degree. The OD program is the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere, creating a new benchmark in optometric education. It is an internationally recognised qualification with full accreditation from the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand. Completion of the OD satisfies the legislative requirements that permit graduates to register as optometrists in all states and territories of Australia and in New Zealand. The qualification also affords the opportunity, either with or without further study and examination, to register to practice in other countries around the world.

The OD is a four-year full-time program consisting of a combination of on-campus teaching and clinical placements. Clinical studies commence in first year and gradually increase to become the main learning activities in the final year. The course covers the basic and applied optical, visual, and biomedical sciences that underpin optometry.

A research project, with clinical relevance, is conducted as a required component of the degree. Students will typically be given the opportunity to undertake clinical training at metropolitan, rural and overseas sites as part of their final year of study.