The following list of optometry schools covers many countries, although the list is not exhaustive. Internationally, optometry as a profession includes different levels of education.Agarwal, R. (2000), Optometry as an international profession, British Journal of Optometry and Dispensing, 8(4),120. The institutions listed below provide academic and professional education and clinical training that ranges from Doctor of Optometry degree level to other professional degrees in optometry and also non-degree level education leading to a diploma or other qualifications in optometry.
In many countries the role of optometry is statutorily defined, practice is regulated and there is uniformity in professional education and clinical training and the scope of practice is consistent with the definition of optometry as a profession. In such countries the nomenclature of terminal qualification may be reviewed as and when necessary. In Australia, for example, Doctor of Optometry (OD) is now established at University of Melbourne (first intake 2011) and OD is described as "an internationally recognised qualification and the gold standard for optometry education."
Australia Deakin University - Bachelor of Vision Science, Master of Optometry Flinders University Bachelor of Medical Science (Vision Science), Master of Optometry Queensland University of Technology - BAppSc (Optom) - replaced with Bachelor of Vision Science / Master of Optometry from February 2009 University of Canberra - Bachelor of Vision Science, Master of Optometry University of Melbourne - OD University of New South Wales - Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry University of Western Australia - Doctor of Optometry
Bangladesh 4 Years Bachelor of Science in optometry (B. Optom) course in Institute of Community Ophthalmology, Chittagong Medical University since 2010 www.icoedu.org
Brazil Universidade do Contestado, as a partner of Fundación Universitaria San Martín, of Bogotá, Colombia
Bulgaria Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski
Canada Université de Montréal, Québec University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science, Ontario
Colombia Fundación Universitaria del Area Andina, Pereira and Bogotá Fundación Universitaria San Martín, Bogotá Universidad Antonio Nariño, Bogotá Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá - Master in Vision Science Universidad del Bosque, Bogotá Universidad Metropolitana, Barranquilla Universidad Santo Tomás, Bucaramanga
Czech Republic Czech Technical University, Prague Masaryk University, Brno Palacký University, Olomouc
Oman 4 Years Degree Program in Optometry (B. Optom) university of Buraimi .
Ecuador Universidad Metropolitana, Quito
El Salvador Universidad de El Salvador, San Salvador - Licenciado en Optometría
France Institut des Sciences de la Vision, St Etienne Institut d'optique Graduate School, Paris - ISO Paris-Saclay University, Orsay Progress Santé, Paris Nice Lyon
Ghana Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology - Doctor of Optometry University of Cape Coast - Doctor of Optometry
Greece Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Department of Optics and Optometry
Hong Kong The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hungary Semmelweis University, Faculty of Health Sciences - Optometry within Medical Diagnostic Analysis Bsc
India At present there are more than fifty schools of optometry in India. In 1958, two schools of optometry were established, one at Gandhi Eye Hospital, Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh and the other at Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital, Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh, under the second five-year plan by Director General of Health Services of Government of India. These schools offered diplomas in optometry courses of two years duration validated by state medical faculties. Subsequently, four more schools were opened across India at Sitapur Eye Hospital, Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, Chennai (formerly Madras) in Tamil Nadu, Bengalooru (formerly Bangalore) in Karnataka, and Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (Govt medical college), Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum) in Kerala.
The Elite School of Optometry (ESO) was established in 1985 at Chennai and was the first to offer a four-year degree course. This was followed by All India institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and in Kerala, Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (Govt Medical college), Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum) is the first government colleges to offer a bachelor's degree in optometry in 2010; were considered as the best in excellence from Govt. of India.
The following list includes educational institutions offering four year degree courses, two or three year diploma courses and also non-degree courses. Post-graduate education in optometry is also offered in India leading to M.Optom, M.Sc. and Ph.D. by several universities. Aarupadai Veedu Medical College, Pondicherry (B.Optom & M.Optom) Al Salama College of Optometry, Perinthalmanna, Calicut, Kannur, All in Kerala and Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (BSc in optometry) All India Institute of Optometrical Sciences (Academic Wing of Indian Optical Institute and Refraction Hospital Trust), Kolkata, West Bengal IIMT University, Meerut Amity University, Gurgaon, Haryana (B.Optom, M.Optom - Full time, Practitioner & PhD) Advanced College of Optometry & Health Sciences, Sanpada, Navi Mumbai Bareilly Institute of ParaMedical Sciences & S.S. Hospital, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Medical College, School of Optometry, Pune, Maharashtra Brien Holden Institute of Optometry and Vision Sciences, LVPEI, Hyderabad (B.Optom and PhD) Rayhan Eye hospital and Institute of Optometry, Edappal, Triprayar, Kondotty, Tirur All in Kerala and Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (BSc in optometry) Bharatimaiya College of Optometry, Surat, Gujrat Brainware University, Kolkata, West Bengal Dr. Anand College of Optometry and Vision Science, Salem, Tamil Nadu Dr. DY Patil Institute of Optometry & Visual Science (Deemed) University Maharashtra Dr. N.T.R. University Of Health Sciences Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh Elite School of Optometry, Chennai, Tamil Nadu FAHS (Faculty of Allied Health Sciences), Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation, Salem Tamil Nadu Govt. Medical college Kozhikode George college of management and science Himalayan University, Arunachal Pradesh IGNOU (Central University), Delhi ITM Institute of Health Science, (Deemed) University, Mumbai, Maharastra ITM Vocational University, Vadodara, Gujarat Jadhavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal Jamia Hamdard (Deemed) University, Delhi Jankalyan Eye Hospital Educational and research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh J.R.N. Rajasthan vidyapeeth (Deemed) University, Rajasthan Kalyani University, Kolkata, West Bengal Kerala University of Health and Allied sciences. Laxmi College of Optometry, Mumbai, Maharastra Lotus College of Optometry, Mumbai, Maharastra Madurai Kamraj University, Tamil Nadu Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka Martin Luther King University, Shillog, Meghalaya Municipal Eye Hospital, School of Optometry, Mumbai, Maharastra Nagar school of Optometry, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujrat Netaji Subhash Institute of Optometry, Mumbai Netrajyothi college of Health Science (Optometry), Bangalore, Karnataka NIMS University, Rajasthan NSHM College of Management & Technology, NSHM Knowledge Campus, Durgapur, West Bengal NSHM Knowledge Campus, Kolkata, West Bengal Rabindra Bharti University, Kolkata, West Bengal Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala RGUHS, Karnataka Sankara College of Optometry, Bangalore, Karnataka Sankara College of Optometry, Ludhiana, Punjab Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh Shri Ganpati Netralaya College of Optometry, Jalna, Maharastra Dr. Agarwals Institute of Optometry (a unit of Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital), Chennai, Tamil Nadu Shri Rajaram Memorial Eye Hospital, Optometry research & Training Institute, Banda, Uttar Pradesh Shri Vaishnav Polytechnic College, Indore Sri Ramchandra University, Porur, Tamil Nadu Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Science, Assam SRM University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Susruta School of Optometry & Visual Sciences, Cochin, Kerala The Tamil Nadu Dr.M.G.R Medical University Chennai, Tamil Nadu Tripura University, Agartala, Tripura School of Allied Health Sciences, Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation, Chennai Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. School of Medical sciences, University of Hyderabad, Telangana. University of Mumbai, Maharashtra Uttrakhand University, Uttrakhand Vasan Institute of Ophthalmology and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Vasan Institute of Ophthalmology and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu Vasan Institute of Ophthalmology and Research, Salem, Tamil Nadu Veer Narmad South Gujrat University, Surat, Gujrat Vidyasagar College of Optometry and Vision Science, Kolkata, West Bengal Vinayaka Missions Medical College, Karaikal, Pondicherry West Bengal University of technology, Kolkata, West Bengal Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU), Nasik, Maharashtra
Iran Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan Mazandaran university of medical science دانشگاه علوم پزشکی مازندران
Ireland Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin - BSc in Optometry
Israel Bar-Ilan University Hadassah College
Italy Currently there are seven state universities (in Milano, Padova, Lecce, Roma, Firenze, Napoli, and Torino) offering three-year university degrees in optics and optometry (Ottica e Optometria), formally a kind of a physics degree.
University of Florence University of Milano-Bicocca University of Padua, Italy University of Naples Federico II University of Roma Tre University of Salento University of Turin
Optometry education in Italy starts in 1969–70. Some post-secondary non-university courses are currently active (2020). Their program can be accessed only by licensed opticians. Some of the more appreciated schools are:
IRSOO, Vinci, Florence IBZ, Bologna Fermi, Perugia SIOO, Florence
Latvia University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia - bachelor's and master's degrees
Lebanon American University of Science and Technology Lebanese University, Faculty of Public Health Institut Technique Industriel Supérieur Modern University for Business and Science
Malaysia International Islamic University Malaysia International University College of Technology Twintech Management & Science University National Institute of Ophthalmic Sciences SEGi University College Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Universiti Teknologi MARA UCSI University
Mexico National Polytechnic Institute, Unidad Santo Tomas and Unidad Milpa Alta Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes - Mestría en Ciencias Biomédicas Area de Optometria Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez Universidad Xochicalco, Campus Ensenada and Campus Tijuana
Nepal Tribhuwan University, B.P. Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies, Maharajgunj Medical Campus - four-year bachelor's degree program only, with no post-graduate programs available National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) Bir Hospital has launched "Bachelor in Optometry and Vision Science" program in 2018. It is a four years program and the total quota for the enrollment is 40 only.
The Netherlands University of Applied Sciences Utrecht
New Zealand School of Optometry and Vision Science - BOptom University of Auckland
Nigeria There are seven schools offering the O.D. (Doctor of Optometry) degree. Abia State University Uturu, Abia State - also offers MSc and PhD programmes in Clinical Optometry in combination with FNCO Bayero University, Kano, Kano State Federal University of Technology Owerri Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State