The College of Optometrists publishes updated Clinical Governance Guidance to support quality improvement and excellence in optometry

The College of Optometrists has launched its updated Clinical Governance Guidance to provide members with a robust framework that aligns with the healthcare landscape and primary care optometry workplace practices of today - and into the future. The guidance will...

PREVIEW: 100% Ophthalmology @ 100% Optical

1–3 March 2025 • London, UK • Register here March 2025 will see the second instalment of 100% Ophthalmology which, if you were following us last year, was a great success. Co-located alongside the well-known 100% Optical and hosted within...

SpaMedica launches pre-reg training programme to support future generations of optometrists

SpaMedica is partnering with Vision Express to offer pre-registration training placements to 150 aspiring optometrists. Trainees will have the opportunity to shadow SpaMedica’s clinical teams and in-house optometrists as they treat patients with a variety of eye conditions, including cataracts...

New online tool will be a critical planning resource for commissioners and providers of eye health care

Eye disease is a major contributor to national health service backlogs, and the number of cases is set to significantly increase with an ageing population. Organisations from across the UK’s eye care sector, including the Association of British Dispensing Opticians...

Primary eyecare welcomes Government’s commitment to improve access to care

The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO), The College of Optometrists and the Federation of Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians (FODO) back the Government’s commitment to put patients in the driving seat and give them more control and choice over their...

Teams start preparing for Optoversity Challenge 2025

Out of the Box Optic’s Optoversity Challenge – the exciting student competition and fundraiser for Vision Care for Homeless People – has opened the 2025 registration. Optometry schools are invited to propose a team for this easy-to-enter challenge which brings...

ABDO approved as a Registered Centre by the Chartered Management Institute

The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has approved the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) to be a Registered Centre. ABDO previously operated as an e-centre with CMI and this change allows ABDO to consider any future management and leadership training...

College of Optometrists responds to Government’s reform plans for elective care

The College of Optometrists welcomes the Government’s commitment to ensure patients receive the care they need at the right time and the right place. Currently, 600,000 people are on NHS waiting lists to begin treatment for ophthalmology in England, making...

ABDO awards two Life Memberships and Medal of Excellence

Peter Black MBA FBDO FEAOO PGCAP FHEA and Julie Lees FBDO have been presented with Life Membership of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO). In addition, Dr Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bartlam BSc (Hons) FBDO CL (Hons) LVA SMC (Tech) has...

SeeAbility’s Martyn Howlett wins at Optician Awards 2024

SeeAbility are delighted to announce that Senior Dispensing Optician and Dispensing Team Lead Martyn Howlett has won Dispensing Optician of the Year at the 2024 Optician Awards. The awards have been running for over 25 years and are a mainstay...

Primary eyecare backs the government’s three key shifts in NHS care and calls for urgent implementation in Phase One of the 10 Year Plan

ABDO, The College of Optometrists and FODO strongly back the government’s three big shifts for the NHS in England: Hospital to community Analogue to digital Sickness to prevention. These go to the heart of what primary eye care is about...

Young visionaries win global competition by re-designing the Glasses of the Future

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) celebrated UNICEF World Children’s Day by announcing the winners of ‘Glasses of the Future’, a global competition that invited children across the world to design the next generation of glasses. Lama...