Bachelor in Optometry and Vision Sciences

1. Title of Program:

The title of the program is Bachelor in Optometry and Vision Sciences that will be written as BOVS in short form.

2. Introduction to the Program:

WORLD COUNCIL OF OPTOMETRY defines Optometrists as “the primary health care practitioners of the eye and visual system, who provide comprehensive eye and vision care, which includes refraction and dispensing, detection/diagnosis and management of ocular problems, and the rehabilitation of conditions of the visual system.”

Vision impairment and blindness are one of the major health problems. Around 2.2 billion of people have visual impairment and half of them are preventable. Uncorrected refractive error is the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness. It was estimated that refractive correction and cataract surgery only can cut out 8 out of 10 visual impaired persons. Besides this, around 25% of the world population is presbyopic and needs some form of optical correction. More than 260 billion of annual productivity loss is due to only uncorrected myopia and presbyopia. Hence human resources specialized in eye care that is focused on optical correction and dispensing and other vision related specialty is a key person to reduce the preventable blindness.

Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Ophthalmic assistants are the major eye care practitioners currently in Nepal. The population to eye care practitioner ratio in Nepal is well below the standard set by “WHO” for prevention of blindness. Optometrists carry out eye examinations and solve eye problems specially related to vision reducing the workload of ophthalmologist and also the cost of eye care services making it sustainable and affordable in developing countries like Nepal.  Production of optometrists, therefore, helps not only to overcome the constraints of eye health manpower, but also economic constraints within the country. Hence this course of BOVS, an eight semester (four years) academic course is designed to produce competent and well trained skilled optometrists.  

4. Goal of the Program:

The major goal of this program is to produce competent and compassionate optometrists who are capable of providing vision care, identifying and managing ocular conditions and refer specific ocular  and systemic illness to the concerned medical practitioners, recognize his/her limitations and maintain the highest ethical standard of profession.

3. Program Objectives:

After completion of the course, student should

1. Be able to develop the skill to provide comprehensive eye examination
   1. To acquire knowledge on ocular structures, its functions and pathological changes
   2. To carry out ophthalmic investigations
   3. To impart knowledge with regard to common eye diseases
   4. To impart knowledge on treatment modalities from the perspective of counseling
   5. To acquire knowledge about the referral guidelines for ocular and systemic conditions
2. Be able to correct refractive error and provide spectacle prescription
3. Be able to fit, evaluate, prescribe and dispense contact lenses for refractive correction and other ocular conditions
4. Be able to assess the low vision and provide comprehensive low vision care
5. Be able to have adequate knowledge to develop skill in manufacturing of spectacle lenses, contact lenses and low vision devices.
6. Be able to do complete binocular vision assessment, manage non-strabismic binocular vision anomalies and proper referral on requirement  
7. Be able to assess the visual demands and eye safety wears for various occupations and match it to the visual capabilities.
8. Acquire knowledge regarding organizations of eye banks and preservation of ocular tissues
9. Acquire knowledge of counseling on visual/ocular hygiene, nutritional and environmental modifications
10. To carry out research projects to identify problems and find the solution through research activities.

5. Program Duration:

The Course duration is 8 Semesters in 4 years. The academic session consists of two semesters per year.

6. Program Credit Hours:

One Semester 16 Weeks

One Credit for theory Classes  16  Hours

One Credit Hour for Practical Class 32 Hours

One Credit Hour for Clinical Posting  32 Hours

One Credit Hour for Seminar    32 Hours

One Credit Hour for  Camp/ Factory Visit   6 hours

Theory Credits     Practical Credits/Clinical Postings/ /Seminar/Camp Visit                   Total

      123                                       102                                                                                225    

7. Course Coding:

Each course is given four capital letters (BOVS) followed by three digit numbers. BOVS letters indicate Bachelor in Optometry and Vision Sciences program and three digit numbers represent year, semester and sequence of subject respectively. Terms “T” and “P” represent theory and practical respectively. Example BOVS111T is for 1st year, 1st semester and 1 for Human Anatomy and T for Theory.

8. Maximum Duration of Program:

A student will get a maximum 7 years period to complete the course from the date of admission.

9. Enrollment Criteria:

To be eligible for applying the program, one must meet the following criteria

1. Must have passed 12 years (10+2) of formal education or I.Sc or equivalent in biology group with an average score of 50% or more or C grade or above.
2. Must pass in the entrance examination conducted by PU or from PU affiliated colleges as per PU norms.
3. From others Diploma (Health) Level Background
   1. Must pass Proficiency Certificate Level in General Medicine (HA), Certificate in Medical Laboratory Technology (CMLT) or diploma in Pharmacy with an average score of 60% or more or any other equivalent course. The Candidate must be registered in their respective council.
   2. From Diploma in Ophthalmic Science (OA): Must pass Diploma of Ophthalmic Science with average score 60%.The candidate should have registration in Nepal  Health Professional Council (NHPC)
   3. The above mentioned candidates should have diploma degrees equivalent to 10+2 as per NEB (former HSEB) norms.
   4. Whatever and wherever mentioned on admission norms, The admission criteria set by Nepal Medical Education Council (NME) for Bachelor level will be regarded as the gold standard. Any rules regulation disregarding NME terms will be neutralized.

10. Medium of Language for Teaching and Examination:

The mode of instruction of teaching and examinations is conducted in English medium.

11. Attendance:

Every candidate should have attendance not less than 80% of the total classes conducted in theory and practical separately in each calendar year, calculated from the date of commencement of the term to the last working day as notified by the University in each of the subjects prescribed to be eligible to appear for the university examination. A candidate pursuing the course shall study in the college for the entire period as a full time student.

A candidate lacking in the prescribed attendance should not be permitted to appear for the examination in that subject(s).

12. Teaching/ Learning Methodology:

1. Lectures: Theory classes will be conducted as per the credit hours.
2. Practical/Demonstration/Clinical Postings: The students have to carry out the practical/laboratory work/clinical activities to learn the prescribed skills under the supervision of the respective teachers/optometrists/ ophthalmologists. Some practicals may be demonstrated by video demonstration. The practical/demonstration would be subjected to change according to the need of the subject matter as decided by the department.
3. Problem oriented learning/Self-directed learning: "Problem oriented learning" and self-directed learning shall be applied whenever appropriate, that will be helpful to set problem based questions in the examination.
4. Project work:  Proposal writing for the project should be submitted in 6th Semester.  In fourth year (eighth semester), the project assignment will be given to students which should be completed and submitted to the department before the final examination. Students shall review and search the literature, conduct research and prepare project work reports under the supervision of the assigned faculty. The students will have to defend their project work.
5. Visits and Observations: Visits and Observations to different hospitals, optical factories, and optical laboratories will be conducted as instructed by the curriculum.
6. Seminar/topic, case and journal club presentation: The students will be actively involved in academic activities through presentation of topics, cases and journal clubs.  Students shall present their topic and the evaluation for the same will be done by supervisors that carry marks in for the final evaluation.

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