In Other News

Optoversity Challenge opens for 2025 registration. Out of the Box Optics has opened 2025 registrations for its Optoversity Challenge competition and Vision Care for Homeless People fundraiser. Optometry schools are invited to propose a team for the challenge, which brings together students from across the UK & Ireland. The competition takes place on February 16, 2025 as an online event for first- and second-year students, and as a live, in-person event for third- and fourth-year students in Manchester and Bristol on February 22. Companies wishing to support the events can contact alison.gordon@vchp.org.uk, while students can find out more and register here.

Myopia mission. Essilor hosted a “Class of Myopia” event for families at its London showroom last month, taking children on a “space adventure to learn about the importance of clear vision, and fight the myopia epidemic in a fun and interactive way.” The event was delivered using Eyestar Mission, Essilor’s classroom-based awareness program. Eye care professionals can find out more about Eyestar Mission and how they can deliver the program in practice or at a local school here.

GOC Optical Educational Report 2024. The General Optical Council (GOC) has released its UK Optical Education 2024 Report for GOC-approved qualifications. The report notes that transition to the new education and training requirements (ETR) has been progressing “at a good pace,” and, on average, optometry (OP) qualifications continued to report strong application figures. Despite falling slightly in 2023/24, dispensing optics (DO) admittances are “significantly higher than 2020/21,” and the number of trainees on independent prescribing (IP) qualifications increased in 2022/23. Link

ABDO responds to NHS Health Plan proposals. The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) has responded to the government’s ongoing public consultation to help shape the NHS 10-Year Health Plan. ABDO calls on the government to address “the long-standing systemic challenges and inefficiencies within the commissioning and delivery of eye care services across England,” and the “funding gap for the NHS sight-testing service.” The Association also invites the government to “fully utilize the clinical skills of the registered eye care workforce.” Link