NOTICE OF SCOPE OF PRACTICE AND RELATED QUALIFICATIONS
PRESCRIBED BY THE OPTICIANS BOARD
The Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board (the Board) will assume its full responsibilities under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 ("the Act") on 18 September 2004. This notice will take effect from that date.
From 18 September 2004 the Opticians Board is renamed the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board.
SCOPES OF PRACTICE
Pursuant to section 11 (1) of the Act, the Board specifies five scopes of practice as follows:
Scope of Practice for Optometry (Optometrist)
The practice of optometry provides evidence based comprehensive eye health and vision care in a professional and ethical manner, delivered by university-qualified optometrists.
Scope of Practice for Optometry (TPA Endorsement) (Optometrist with Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Agents (TPA) Endorsement)
The practice of optometry (TPA endorsement) provides evidence based comprehensive eye health and vision care in a professional and ethical manner, delivered by university-qualified optometrists.
Scope of Practice for Educator in Optometry (Educator Optometrist)
The scope of practice for an educator optometrist refers to the scope of practice for optometry, practised within an educational institution.
Scope of Practice for Educator in Optometry (TPA Endorsement) (Educator Optometrist with Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Agents (TPA) Endorsement)
The scope of practice for an educator optometrist (TPA endorsement) refers to the scope of practice for optometry with TPA endorsement, practised within an educational institution.
Scope of Practice for Optical Dispensing (Dispensing Optician)
Optical dispensing describes the practice of the interpreting and dispensing of optical prescriptions by a person with a recognized qualification. This includes the giving of advice and instruction in the dispensing of spectacle lenses, spectacle frames (including their fitting), contact lenses, and any other optical device intended for correction of a defect of sight.
Qualifications Prescribed for Registration in each Scope of Practice
Pursuant to section 12 of the Act, the following qualifications are prescribed for registration.
Scope of Practice for Optometry (Optometrist)
Qualifications
Pathway (a), (b) or (c) may be taken.
Pathway (a): The applicant holds an undergraduate qualification or proof of eligibility to graduate from an institution accredited by the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ) and this includes:
À BOptom University of Auckland, or
À BOptom University of Melbourne, or
À BOptom University of New South Wales, or
À BApplSc (Optometry) Queensland University of Technology.
Pathway (b): The applicant has a pass in the current OCANZ competency examination.
Pathway (c): The applicant has fulfilled (i), (ii) and (iii) below.
(i) The applicant holds a listed (non bridging) qualification from one of the schools of optometry in the United Kingdom listed below:
À BSc/BSc Hons in Optometry; or BSc/BSc Hons in Ophthalmic Optics, University of Aston, or
À BSc/BSc Hons in Optometry (Ophthalmic Optics); or BSc/BSc Hons in Ophthalmic Optics, University of Bradford, or
À BSc/BSc Hons in Optometry, Cardiff University; or BSc/BSc Hons in Optometry or BSc/BSc Hons in Ophthalmic Optics, University of Wales College of Cardiff, or
À BSc/BSc Hons in Optometry; or BSc/BSc Hons in Ophthalmic Optics, The City University London, or
À BSc/BSc Hons in Optometry; or BSc/BSc Hons in Ophthalmic Optics, Glasgow Caledonian University, or
À BSc/BSc Hons in Optometry; or BSc/BSc Hons in Ophthalmic Optics, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, or
À BOptom, Anglia Polytechnic University, or
À BSc/BSc Hons in Optometry, University of Ulster, or
À BSc/BSc Hons in Ophthalmic Optics, University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology;
and (ii) the applicant has passed the Pre-registration year and Professional Qualifying Examination conducted by the College of Optometry or its equivalent within a four-year degree,
and (iii) the applicant has passed an examination, or examinations as specified by the Board.

Scope of Practice for Optometry (TPA Endorsement) (Optometrist with Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Agents (TPA) Endorsement)
Qualifications
The applicant is qualified for the scope of practice for optometry and holds:
À a Certificate in Ocular Pharmacology, University of Auckland and an acknowledgement from the University of Auckland Faculty of Science stating that the applicant has successfully completed all the requirements of the Auckland programme in ocular therapeutics; or
À a BOptom, University of Auckland conferred in 2007 and thereafter; or
À a pass in a therapeutics programme accredited by OCANZ; or
À a pass in a therapeutics programme accredited by the Board.
Scope of Practice for Educator in Optometry (Educator Optometrist)
Qualifications
The applicant holds a qualification referred to in the scope of practice for optometry; or
the applicant holds a qualification referred to in the scope of practice for optometry (TPA endorsement); or
the applicant holds BApplSc (Optometry) or BSc (Optometry) from the University of Melbourne; or
the applicant holds a Doctor of Optometry qualification from one of the schools of optometry in the United States of America and Canada listed below:
À Illinois College of Optometry
À Indiana University
À Inter American University of Puerto Rico
À Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University
À New England College of Optometry
À Northeastern State University
À Nova Southeastern University
À The Ohio State University
À Pacific University
À Pennsylvania College of Optometry
À Southern California College of Optometry
À Southern College of Optometry
À State University of New York
À University of Alabama at Birmingham
À University of California, Berkeley
À University of Missouri, St. Louis
À University of Houston
À University of Waterloo, or
the applicant holds a Doctorat en Optométrie qualification from the University of Montreal; or
the applicant holds a BSc Hons (Optometry) from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Scope of Practice for Educator in Optometry (TPA Endorsement) (Educator Optometrist with Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Agents (TPA) Endorsement)
Qualifications
The applicant holds a qualification for the scope of practice for an educator in optometry, and holds evidence of a TPA endorsement
Scope of Practice for Optical Dispensing (Dispensing Optician)
Qualifications
The applicant holds the qualification OTEN/TAFE Optical Dispensing Certificate IV (Australia) or proof of eligibility to graduate from this course; or
the applicant holds the qualification FBDO (UK); or
the applicant has passed an optical dispensing examination approved by the Board

Dated at Wellington this 31st day of August 2004
DENISE NELSON, Secretary, Opticians Board