The Bachelor’s Degree in Optics and Optometry from the USC aims to train highly qualified graduates in Optics and Optometry for the care of visual health through the development of activities aimed at the prevention, detection, evaluation and treatment of vision disorders, which respond to the demands of society. To this end, students will acquire learning outcomes aimed at carrying out visual and eye examinations, design, verification and adaptation of optical systems, design and development of visual training programmes and design and proposals for ergonomic advances. All of this is based on a commitment to the ethical and deontological principles of the profession of Optician-Optometrist (https://coocv.com/codigo-deontologico/). The objectives of the degree, as defined in Ministerial Order CIN/727/2009, are as follows:
1. To know, design, and apply prevention and maintenance programmes related to the visual health of the population.
2. To perform visual examinations effectively in each phase: anamnesis, selection and performance of diagnostic tests, establishment of prognosis, selection and execution of treatment, and, if necessary, writing referral reports that establish levels of collaboration with other professionals to ensure the best possible care for the patient.
3. To advise and guide the patient and their family throughout the treatment.
4. To be able to critically reflect on clinical, scientific, ethical, and social issues involved in the professional practice of Optometry, understanding the scientific foundations of Optics-Optometry and learning to critically assess the terminology, clinical trials, and research methodology related to Optics-Optometry.
5. To issue opinions, reports, and expert assessments when necessary.
6. To evaluate and incorporate the technological improvements necessary for the proper development of their professional activity.
7. To be able to carry out planning and management activities in an Optics-Optometry service or small business.
8. To be able to plan and conduct research projects that contribute to the production of knowledge in the field of Optometry, conveying scientific knowledge through common channels.
9. To expand and update their capabilities for professional practice through continued education.
10. To be able to communicate visual health therapeutic indications and conclusions to the patient, their family, and other professionals involved in their care, adapting to the sociocultural characteristics of each interlocutor.
11. To place new information and its interpretation in context.
12. To demonstrate an understanding of the general structure of optometry and its connection with other specific and complementary disciplines.
13. To demonstrate and implement methods of critical analysis, theory development, and their application to the field of Optometry.
14. To demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities in patient healthcare.
15. To demonstrate the ability to act as a primary visual care provider.
16. To demonstrate the ability to effectively participate in both unidisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams in Optometry-related projects.
17. To incorporate the ethical and legal principles of the profession into professional practice, respecting the autonomy of the patient, their genetic, demographic, cultural, and socio-economic determinants, integrating social and community aspects into decision-making, and applying principles of social justice in professional practice within a transforming global context.
18. To acquire the ability to perform patient-centred clinical management, health economics, and the efficient use of healthcare resources, as well as the effective management of clinical documentation with special attention to confidentiality.