Optometrists: pay and what the work involves

Occupation 2252 · Professional occupations

Optometrists

Ophthalmic opticians test patients’ vision, diagnose defects and disorders and prescribe glasses or contact lenses as required.

How people enter it

Entrants require a degree in Optometry, must have passed the Professional Qualifying Examination of the General Optical Council, and have completed a pre-registration year. Advanced training in specialised areas is available.

What the work involves

examines eyes and tests vision of patient, identifies problems, defects, injuries and ill health
prescribes appropriate spectacle lenses, contact lenses and other aids
advises patient on proper use of glasses, contact lenses and other aids, and on appropriate lighting conditions for reading and working
refers patient to a specialist, where necessary
carries out research with glass and lens manufacturers

Also called

Doctor of optometry · Ophthalmic optician · Optician

What it pays

Measure	Hours	Basis	Period	Value	Source
2252 : Optometrists	None	None	2026-03	15,900.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
2252 : Optometrists	None	None	2026-03	16,200.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
2252 : Optometrists	None	None	2026-03	18,600.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
2252 : Optometrists	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500
2252 : Optometrists	None	None	2026-03	2,400.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
2252 : Optometrists	None	None	2026-03	18,900.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
2252 : Optometrists	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500

Every regional figure

ONS does not publish occupational pay below region. Cells the survey could not support are shown as withheld, with its reason — adding a region split to a specific occupation leaves roughly a tenth of cells publishable.

Region	Measure	Hours	Value	Period
East	2252 : Optometrists	None	1,000.00	2026-03
East Midlands	2252 : Optometrists	None	1,600.00	2026-03
London	2252 : Optometrists	None	4,700.00	2026-03
North East	2252 : Optometrists	None	600.00	2026-03
North West	2252 : Optometrists	None	1,600.00	2026-03
Northern Ireland	2252 : Optometrists	None	withheld	2026-03
Scotland	2252 : Optometrists	None	2,400.00	2026-03
South East	2252 : Optometrists	None	900.00	2026-03
South West	2252 : Optometrists	None	1,000.00	2026-03
Wales	2252 : Optometrists	None	withheld	2026-03
West Midlands	2252 : Optometrists	None	2,500.00	2026-03
Yorkshire and The Humber	2252 : Optometrists	None	2,000.00	2026-03

Common questions

Does pay for optometrists vary by region?

ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 10 of 12 cells on this page. The rest are withheld by ONS, and are shown as withheld with the reason, rather than left out.

Where do these pay figures come from?

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the Office for National Statistics. Figures are shown exactly as ONS publishes them — we do not adjust, model or fill them in, and every number on this page carries the series and period it came from.

Classified alongside this

Dental practitioners · Medical radiographers · Other health professionals n.e.c. · Paramedics · Pharmacists · Podiatrists