Optometry Course and Our Medical Education System

Dr. Mohammad Mizanur Rahman

By Dr. Mohammad Mizanur Rahman

In Bangladesh, the healthcare sector has experienced significant advancements over the last few decades. While medicine, dentistry, and nursing have established themselves as prominent pillars in medical education and practice, optometry, a vital branch of eye and vision care, remains underdeveloped and underrecognized. In contrast to international standards, where optometrists play an essential role in primary eye care, Bangladesh is still grappling with several structural and institutional challenges regarding the recognition, regulation, and development of optometry education and practice.

A Global Perspective Optometry is a specialized branch of healthcare focused on diagnosing, managing, and treating various visual disorders and eye-related conditions. Globally, optometrists are recognized as independent healthcare practitioners who provide services ranging from vision testing and correction to the detection of ocular diseases like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration. In many countries, such as the United States, Australia, the UK, and Malaysia, optometrists are legally licensed and regulated, practicing alongside ophthalmologists and other healthcare professionals.

Internationally, optometry education follows a well-defined structure under strict accreditation guidelines. Programs are typically affiliated with universities and monitored by national professional bodies and councils that ensure quality assurance. These standards guarantee that optometrists are fully trained in both theoretical and practical aspects of eye care.

The Present Status of Optometry in Bangladesh, optometry is still a relatively young and struggling profession. The course was first introduced on a limited scale in the early 2000s, mostly through NGOs and private initiatives. Today, only a few institutions, including government-supported and private universities and public University offer optometry courses, mostly at the diploma and bachelor level. The Bachelor of Optometry (B.Optom) is a four-year academic program with a one-year internship, modeled after international curricula, yet still lacks a uniform national framework.

One of the key issues is the lack of proper affiliation and standardization. Different institutions follow varying curricula, often without sufficient clinical exposure or international benchmarking. There is no central body such as a Bangladesh Optometry Council (BOC) to regulate or monitor optometric education, unlike the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) for physicians and dentists.

Besides, despite having qualified graduates with international degrees (such as from India, Malaysia, or Australia), many optometrists find themselves unable to practice independently in Bangladesh due to the absence of a licensing system. This lack of professional recognition severely limits the scope of their services and undermines their contribution to public health.

A Missed Opportunity While neighboring countries like India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka have established national standards and councils for optometry, Bangladesh is yet to adopt an internationally-aligned framework. Without such standards, the country’s optometry programs lag behind in both reputation and output. This affects not only students’ employability but also the quality of care received by patients.

Students graduating from foreign universities, where optometry education is backed by global accreditation boards and advanced clinical training, face difficulty validating their qualifications back home. Moreover, due to the lack of pathways for higher education and research in optometry within Bangladesh, many talented graduates either shift to unrelated fields or migrate abroad, leading to a significant brain drain.

The Right to Practice and Professional Recognition One of the core problems facing Bangladeshi optometrists is the lack of legal recognition. Despite being healthcare professionals, optometrists are not recognized officially in most public hospitals or the government health service framework. There are limited government jobs available for them, and they are often misidentified as opticians or technicians, which misrepresents their training and undermines their professional identity.

This also impacts the public’s perception of optometry. In rural and semi-urban areas, people often seek eye care from unqualified practitioners, leading to the misuse of corrective lenses or misdiagnosis of ocular conditions. Recognizing optometrists as primary eye care professionals would not only bridge the urban-rural healthcare gap but also reduce the burden on ophthalmologists.

The Need of the Hour A national licensing body for optometrists is urgently needed. Such a body would:

• Regulate education standards and curricula across institutions.

• Accredit optometry programs based on clinical training and facilities.

• Register licensed optometrists, ensuring accountability and professionalism.

• Facilitate continuing professional development (CPD) and higher education opportunities.

• Protect the rights of optometrists to practice independently and ethically.

This would align Bangladesh with World Council of Optometry (WCO) guidelines and facilitate mutual recognition of qualifications across borders.

Salary Structure and Job Market Realities The salary structure for optometrists in Bangladesh is highly inconsistent. In the private sector, pay scales vary widely depending on the employer and job location. Entry-level salaries can be as low as BDT 15,000–20,000 per month, which is far below the average for other health professionals. In contrast, in countries with regulated optometry professions, optometrists earn competitive salaries with clear career progression.

Lack of recognition has also resulted in the absence of designated job positions in government hospitals or public healthcare services for optometrists. This discourages talented students from pursuing the field and restricts the growth of optometry as a viable medical career.

The Way Forward For optometry to flourish in Bangladesh, a multi-pronged approach is essential:

1. Formation of a Bangladesh Optometry Council (BOC) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

2. Standardization and affiliation of all optometry programs under a recognized university framework with clinical partnerships.

3. Licensing and professional regulation to define the scope of practice and ensure public safety.

4. Inclusion of optometrists in public healthcare services, particularly in eye care units at the upazila and district levels.

5. Improved salary structures and job roles aligned with qualifications and responsibilities.

6. Promotion of research and higher education, encouraging institutions to introduce master’s and Ph.D. programs in vision science, orthoptics, contact lens research, and public eye health.

Optometry has the potential to play a transformative role in improving vision care and preventing avoidable blindness in Bangladesh. However, to realize this potential, the country must invest in developing optometry as a recognized, regulated, and respected profession. With proper affiliations, international-standard education, licensing, and a structured career path, optometrists can significantly contribute to the nation’s healthcare goals, ensuring that every citizen enjoys the right to healthy vision and a brighter future.

(Dr. Mohammad Mizanur Rahman is Assistant Professor, Management and Science University, Malaysia; Member Royal College of Ophthalmologists (UK); Member of The College of Optometrists (UK); Member European Academy of Optometry and Optics (UK)