The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) has received approval from the General Optical Council (GOC) to begin delivering the Diploma in Contact Lens Practice syllabus from September 2024. As the awarding organisation, ABDO will be working in partnership with two education centres, ABDO College and Bradford College.
ABDO is currently the only provider who can recruit students to the GOC’s new education and training requirements for contact lens opticians.
Dean Dunning, ABDO deputy head of professional qualifications and education and chief contact lens examiner, says, “We are delighted that we are now able to deliver our 2024 syllabus, which is the first of its kind to follow the GOC’s requirements for approved qualifications for contact lens opticians. It has been a huge undertaking, lasting over two years, and wouldn’t have been possible without a great deal of help from educators, industry professionals, registrants, students and employers, for whom we are extremely grateful.
“We have worked very hard to ensure that we have a syllabus that meets the needs for a modern contact lens optician to practice safely and successfully, embracing the fast-paced changes happening in the contact lens industry.
“We look forward to collaborating with our training partners at ABDO College and Bradford College along with the GOC over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition to the new syllabus.”