General Optical Council

Qualifications on the registers

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This section explains the qualifications you might see when searching for an optometrist or dispensing optician on our registers.

Qualifications for optometrists

Qualification

Abbreviation
The Foundation Fellowship of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)+ FCOptom
The Membership of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)+   MCOptom
The Fellowship Diploma of the British Optical Association*  FBOA
The Higher or Honours Diploma of the British Optical Association*  FBOA:HD  
The Fellowship in Optometry of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers*  FSMC
The Higher Diploma on Optometry of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers*  SMHD
(Holders of the Honours Diploma of the Company, discontinued in 1950, are described as FSMC(Hons)    
The Fellowship Diploma of the Scottish Association of Opticians* FSAO
The Diploma in Ophthalmic Optics of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)+*   Dopt
University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology MSc
   

Qualifications for dispensing opticians

Qualification

Abbreviation
The Fellowship Diploma of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians FBDO
The Honours Fellowship Diploma of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians FBDO(Hons)
The Fellowship Diploma of the Association of Dispensing Opticians* FADO
The Honours Fellowship Diploma of the Association of Dispensing Opticians* FADO(Hons)
The Dispensing Certificate of the British Optical Association* BOA (Disp)
The Diploma in Dispensing Optics of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers * SMC (Disp)
The Foundation Fellowship of the Faculty of Dispensing Opticians* FFDO
The Fellowship of the Faculty of Dispensing Opticians* FFDO
The Membership of the Faculty of Dispensing Opticians* MFDO
   

Other optical academic or professional qualifications included in the register

Qualifications

 Abbreviation
The Fellowship of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)+ FCOptom
A First or Higher degree relevant to optics BSc, MSc,
MSc(Tech),
PhD,BOptom
etc as appropriate
The Diploma in Contact Lens Practice of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)+ DCLP
The Diploma in Orthoptics of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)+ DOrth 

The Contact Lens Diploma of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians

 
For those who are fellows of the Association: FBDO(Hons) CL
 For others: CL (ABDO)
The Contact Lens Certificate of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians FBDO CL
The Senior Award of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers SMSA
The Diploma in Contact Lens Practice of the British Optical Association DCLP
The Contact Lens Certificate of the Scottish Association of Opticians DCLP
The Supplementary Contact Lens Certificate of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers CL Cert (SMC)
The Supplementary Contact Lens Diploma of the British Optical Association CL Cert, (BOA)
The Diploma in Orthoptics of the British Optical Association* DOrth
The Contact Lens Diploma of the Association of Dispensing Opticians*  
For persons who are Fellows of the Association:   FADO(Hons)CL
For other persons: CL (ADO)
The Diploma in Contact Lens Fitting of the Faculty of Dispensing Opticians* DCLF
The Diploma in Geometric Optics of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians FBDO(Hons)DGO
The Diploma in Spectacle Lens Design of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians* FBDO(Hons)SLD
The Low Vision Aids Diploma of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians  
For person who are fellows of the association: FBDO(Hons)LVA
For other persons: ABDO(Hons)LVA
Fellowship of the American Academy of Optometry FAAO
The Diploma in Contact Lens Practice of the College of Optometrists DipCLP
The Diploma in Ocular Conditions of the College of Optometrists   DipOC
The Diploma in Orthoptics of the College of Optometrists   DipOrth
The Diploma in Therapeutics of the College of Optometrists DipTp
The Diploma in Additional Supply DipTpAS  
The Diploma in Supplementary Prescribing DipTpSP
   
* The qualifications indicated by an asterisk are no longer granted.  
+ The College changed its name in 1987 to the British College of Optometrists and to the College of Optometrists with effect from 1 January 1996 on being granted the Royal Charter.