If you are an optician, dispenser, optical assistant, contact lens fitter, technician or practice manager, Pulse Connexions can assist you in realising your earning potential with a position that caters for your specialist expertise and career goals.

Our clients range from the major high street opticians to the hundreds of independent practices throughout the UK. Our past successes in placing optical staff have been founded on efficiency, industry experience and the ability to deliver the right candidate first time to our clients in the optical sector. Consequently, we have been able to develop business relationships based upon trust and service which has resulted in clients making Pulse Connexions their first stop for optical staffing solutions.

Once you have registered with us, one of our team of dedicated consultants will contact you to discuss your individual requirements. Pulse Connexions is committed to offering attractive salaries and working conditions in modern facilities with the continuous professional development that your career deserves.


In order to practice in the UK, overseas opticians must register with the General Optical Council (GOC). The GOC is the statutory body which regulates the optical professions (dispensing opticians and optometrists). Only those persons who have achieved adequate training and practical experience and who have achieved qualifications enabling registration may be registered to practice.

There are two registers of optometrists:

• One for those who test sight and fit and supply optical appliances.
• The second register is for those optometrists who test sight only.

There is one register for dispensing opticians. Dispensing opticians do not test sight. Dispensing opticians fit and supply optical appliances and, if qualified to do so, may fit contact lenses.

Optometrists and dispensing opticians qualified outside of the UK may be able to register on the basis of their qualification. Opticians qualified in a country within the European Economic Area (EEA) may apply for the recognition of their professional qualification under the provisions of First (89/48/EEC) and Second (92/51/EEC) European General Directives on the Mutual Recognition of Professional and Vocational Qualifications.


The General Optical Council has established a scheme for holders of optometric qualifications granted outside the EEA who wish to register in the UK

To be eligible in the UK under this scheme, applicants must first provide evidence of the following:

• That they have undertaken three years full-time optometric training, post baccalaureate and achieved the qualification in the country of training.
• That they are legally able to practice. optometry in the country in which the qualification was granted.
• That they have completed a minimum period of one year's unsupervised practice.
• That they have obtained a score of at least 7 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Additionally, no individual section scores are to be less than 6, except for 'Speaking' where the minimum is 7.
• Provide a completed 'Certificate of Identity'.

Subject to meeting the above eligibility criteria, intending registrants are required to undertake the following:

• Attend and complete an approved course of instruction at a training institution approved by the GOC.
• Pass the examination for Non-EEA Qualified Optometrists administered by The College of Optometrists.

The College administers the examinations, which are currently held twice a year and can only be taken on completion of the approved course. You will automatically receive information once registered for a course.

Once qualified via this scheme, a person may practice. as an optometrist but only when he/she has registered with the GOC. Once on the register, he/she must renew registration annually in order to maintain his/her license to practice.

For further information on the GOC application procedure or The College of Optometrists examination, please refer to the relevant web site on our Useful Links page.