Registration

A person who holds one of the following qualifications will be registered in Part I of the register :

• A Bachelor of Science degree in Optometry awarded by the Hong Kong Polytechnic or the Hong Kong Polytechnic University; or
• A Professional Diploma in Optometry issued by the Hong Kong Polytechnic.

A person who holds one of the following qualifications will be registered in Part II of the register under section 12(1)(a) of the Ordinance:-

• A Higher Certificate in Optometry issued by the Hong Kong Polytechnic; or
• A Certification from the Board that he has passed an examination in optometry conducted by the Board under section 15A of the Ordinance

A person who holds any non-local qualifications and qualifications other than those mentioned in sections A and B above may apply for registration under section 12(1)(b) of the Ordinance. They will be considered for registration in a part of the register as determined by the Supplementary Medical Professions Council.

Applicants should hold qualifications of a standard comparable to the bachelor programme conferred by the School of Optometry of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Some qualifications which may be recognized for registration and are subject to review by the Supplementary Medical Professions Council from time to time, are listed below –

• (a) United Kingdom
  Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester Master of Optometry
  or
  Passed the Professional Qualifying Examination of the College of Optometrists with –
  1. (i) a Bachelor of Science degree in optometry, or any qualification which replaces this, from the institutions listed below –
     • Optometry, Aston University
       (formerly known as Department of Vision Sciences, University of Aston in Birmingham)
       
       
     • Bradford School of Optometry & Vision Science (formerly known as Department of Optometry), University of Bradford
       
       
     • School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University (formerly known as Department of Optometry, University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology or University of Wales College of Cardiff)
       
       
     • Department of Vision Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University (formerly known as Department of Optometry and Vision Science, Glasgow Polytechnic / Glasgow Caledonian University or Department of Ophthalmic Optics, Glasgow College of Technology)
       
       
     • Department of Optometry and Visual Science, City University
       
       
     • Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester (formerly known as Department of Optometry and Neuroscience, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology)
       
       
     • Department of Optometry & Ophthalmic Dispensing, Anglia Ruskin University (formerly known as Anglia Polytechnic University)
       
       
     • School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster
       
       

  or from any establishment which replaces any of the above-named establishments;

  or

  2. (ii) Fellow or Member of the College of Optometrists
• (b) Australia
  • School of Optometry and Vision Science (formerly known as School of Optometry),
    University of New South Wales
    Bachelor of Optometry
    
    
  • Department of Optometry and Vision Science (formerly known as Department of Optometry),
    University of Melbourne
    Doctor of Optometry or
    Bachelor of Optometry (formerly known as Bachelor of Science in Optometry or Bachelor of Applied Science in Optometry)
    
    
  • Queensland Institute of Technology or Queensland University of Technology
    Bachelor of Applied Science (Optometry) or
    Diploma in Applied Science (Optometry)
    
    
• (c) Canada
  • School of Optometry, University of Waterloo
    Doctor of Optometry
    
    
  • L'Ecole d' Optometrie, University de Montreal
    Doctor of Optometry
    
    
• (d) New Zealand
  • Department of Optometry and Vision Science, the University of Auckland
    Bachelor of Optometry or Diploma in Optometry
    
    
• (e) Ireland
  • Fellowship Diploma of the Association of Ophthalmic Opticians, Ireland
    
    
  • Faculty of Science, Dublin Institute of Technology
    Bachelor of Science in Optometry and passed the Professional examinations of the Association of Optometrists, Ireland
    
    
• (f) United States of America

  A Doctor of Optometry degree from any of the following institutions –

  • School of Optometry, University of Alabama in Birmingham
    
    
  • Illinois College of Optometry, Chicago, Illinois
    
    
  • Indiana University, School of Optometry, Bloomington, Indiana
    
    
  • Southern California College of Optometry in Fullerton (formerly known as Los Angeles College of Optometry), California
    
    
  • The New England College of Optometry, Boston, Massachusetts
    
    
  • State University of New York, College of Optometry, New York
    
    
  • The Ohio State University, College of Optometry, Columbus, Ohio
    
    
  • Pacific University, College of Optometry, Forest Grove, Oregon
    
    
  • Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, Elkins Park (formerly known as Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Philadelphia), Pennsylvania
    
    
  • Southern College of Optometry, Memphis, Tennessee
    
    
  • University of California, School of Optometry, Berkeley, California
    
    
  • University of Houston, College of Optometry, Houston, Texas
    
    
  • Inter American University of Puerto Rico, School Optometry, Puerto Rico
    
    
  • Ferris State University, Michigan College of Optometry, Michigan
    
    
  • Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry, Oklahoma
    
    
  • Nova Southeastern University, College of Optometry, Florida
    
    
  • University of Missouri-St. Louis, College of Optometry (formerly known as School of Optometry), Missouri
    
    

A person who holds a certification from the Board that he has passed an examination in refraction conducted by the Board under section 15A for the purposes of section 12(1)(a) of the Ordinance will be registered in Part III of the register.

A person who, on the date on which section 12 of the SMP Ordinance commenced to apply to the optometrist profession (i.e. 1 December 1994), is practicing the profession but who do not possess any formal qualifications may apply for registration under section 12(1)(c) of the Ordinance. The Supplementary Medical Professions Council and Optometrists Board will consider each application and determine in which part of the register the name of the successful applicant shall be entered based on the applicant's education, training, professional experience and skill. Each application will be considered on its own merits.