School of Optometry and Vision Sciences

Housed in an impressive new building near Lidl on Maindy Road, the School of Optometry & Vision Sciences at Cardiff University is the only optometric training department in Wales, and one of the largest in the UK.
In terms of teaching, the School runs one undergraduate course, the three-​year BSc Optometry, and for this it has obtained one of the highest rankings throughout the UK and was awarded the designation ‘Excellent’. In the final optometric Professional Qualifying Examinations the School’s overall pass rates have been consistently in the top two amongst all eight participating UK Universities over the past four years. And since a pass in these exams has been compulsory before becoming an independently practising optometrist, most students consider them to be the most important of all.
At any one time, there are about 240 undergraduates studying at the school, spread over the three years of study.
Apart from undergraduate teaching, the school’s other big role is in vision research, coordinated through various research groups, and also research units looking at specific areas such as Down’s Syndrome Vision Research and Contact Lens and Anterior Eye Research.