Optometrists and Ophthalmic Opticians: Jobs in Demand in Europe (2025)
Optometrists and Ophthalmic Opticians is an official occupation group (ISCO-08 code 2267) used by the International Labour Organization and Eurostat.
- Ophthalmic optician
- Optometrist
- Orthoptist
Pay in the UK for this job
UK occupation used: Optometrists (SOC 2020 code 2252). Placeivo matched this to ISCO-08 2267 by job title and duties; the UK and international occupation lists do not line up exactly. National figure for the whole United Kingdom, in pounds sterling (GBP), before income tax and National Insurance.
Small sample: the ONS quality measure (coefficient of variation) is annual figure 15%, weekly figure 13%. ONS advises using estimates like this with caution.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025 provisional, Table 14 (occupation by 4-digit SOC 2020): tables 14.7a (annual pay, gross) and 14.1a (weekly pay, gross), full-time employee jobs, United Kingdom. Weekly pay is for April 2025; annual pay is for the tax year ending 5 April 2025, employees in the same job for at least a year. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
UK Skilled Worker visa for this job
This occupation (UK code 2252, Optometrists) is on the UK list of jobs eligible for the Skilled Worker visa. There is no figure in the general going-rate table: GOV.UK has separate salary rules for healthcare and education jobs, based on national pay scales (for example NHS pay bands), so the general minimum of £41,700 may not apply. Check the GOV.UK page for healthcare and education jobs. Placeivo matched this UK code to ISCO-08 2267 by job title; the lists do not line up exactly.
This is a summary of official rules, not legal advice. Rules change and some people (for example those already on a Skilled Worker visa) have different rules. Always check GOV.UK before you apply.
Source: UK Visas and Immigration, GOV.UK tables "Skilled Worker visa: eligible occupations and codes" and "Skilled Worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes", updated 2025-07-22, retrieved 2026-10-15. General minimum salary from GOV.UK "Skilled Worker visa: Your job", checked 2026-10-15.
Compare UK visa going rates by job · Eligible occupations (GOV.UK) · Going rates (GOV.UK) · Healthcare and education rules (GOV.UK) · Salary rules (GOV.UK)
Latest optometrists and ophthalmic opticians job ads
Real vacancies from the official public employment services, updated daily. Job titles are translated into English automatically; the full ad opens on the official site in German or Swedish (your browser's translate button turns it into English).
Germany
112 open ads- Optometrist
Augentagesklinik Prignitz-Ruppin GbR · Wittstock/Dosse · Posted 2026-10-13 - Optometrist
German title: Optometrist(in)
Eyemed Berlin Augenärzte Dr. Bendschneider & Dr. Sigal Partnerschaftsgesellschaft · Berlin · Posted 2026-03-09 - Optometrist
German title: Optometrist / Optometristin
Vivantes Netzwerk für Gesundheit GmbH · Berlin · Posted 2026-05-08 - Optometrist
Dodt Optikerei OHG · Gütersloh · Posted 2026-10-15 - Optician master/optometrist
German title: Optikermeister/Optometrist
Augenzentrum Prof. Dr. Koch GmbH · Frankfurt am Main · Posted 2026-09-02 - Ophthalmologist/ optometrist
German title: Augenoptikermeister/ Optometrist
Carl Leidig GmbH · Nürnberg, Mittelfranken · Posted 2025-06-24
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit (German Federal Employment Agency). Ads are written by employers; Placeivo does not check them. See all ads in Germany
Sweden
104 open ads- Leg. Optician to Synsam Varberg part time/full-time
Swedish title: Leg. Optiker till Synsam Varberg deltid/heltid
Synsam Group Sweden AB · Varberg · Posted 2026-10-16 - Leg. Optician
Swedish title: Leg. Optiker
Glasögonmagasinet Optik Sweden AB · Umeå · Posted 2026-10-15 - Certified optician to Jönköping
Swedish title: Legitimerad optiker till Jönköping
Synoptik Sweden Aktiebolag · Jönköping · Posted 2026-10-15 - Certified optometrist for Smarteyes Lund city
Swedish title: Legitimerad optiker till Smarteyes Lund city
Synoptik Sweden Aktiebolag · Lund · Posted 2026-10-14 - Ambulatory Optician/Remote Optician - or a combo?
Swedish title: Ambulerande Optiker/Optiker på distans - eller en kombo?
Synsam Group Sweden AB · Stockholm · Posted 2026-10-14 - Leg. Optician to Synsam Sollentuna Centrum, full- or part-time
Swedish title: Leg. Optiker till Synsam Sollentuna Centrum, hel- eller deltid
Synsam Group Sweden AB · Sollentuna · Posted 2026-10-14
Source: Arbetsförmedlingen (Swedish Public Employment Service). Ads are written by employers; Placeivo does not check them. See all ads in Sweden
Where optometrists and ophthalmic opticians are needed in Europe
| Country | EURES 2025 | Average gross pay, all professionals (2022) | 1-bed rent in the capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Shortage | €4,602 a month * | Vienna: €1,250 |
| Belgium | Shortage | €5,370 a month * | Brussels: €1,150 |
| Czechia | Shortage | €2,276 a month | Prague: €1,250 |
| Denmark | Shortage | €5,925 a month * | Copenhagen: €1,800 |
| Greece | Shortage | €1,904 a month * | Athens: €1,150 |
| Portugal | Shortage | €2,323 a month * | Lisbon: €1,400 |
| Spain | Shortage | €3,085 a month | Madrid: €1,300 |
| Sweden | Shortage | €4,330 a month * | Stockholm: €2,100 |
| Bulgaria | Shortage and surplus | €1,367 a month | Sofia: €650 |
| Latvia | Surplus | €2,136 a month | Riga: €870 |
| Slovakia | Surplus | €1,830 a month | Bratislava: €910 |
Pay: Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey 2022, mean gross monthly earnings of all professionals in each country, in euros. This is the average for the whole occupation group, not for optometrists and ophthalmic opticians alone, and before tax. * Firms with 10 or more employees only. Rent: Eurostat, good-quality 1-bedroom flat in the capital, 2025.
What optometrists and ophthalmic opticians do
Optometrists and ophthalmic opticians provide diagnosis, management and treatment services for disorders of the eyes and visual system. They counsel on eye care and prescribe optical aids or other therapies for visual disturbance.
Typical tasks
- Examining patients’ eyes and conducting diagnostic tests to assess ocular health and determine the nature and extent of vision problems and abnormalities
- Testing visual function using specialized instruments and equipment for measuring visual acuity and refractive error, function of visual pathways, visual fields, eye movements, freedom of vision and intraocular pressure
- Detecting, diagnosing and managing eye disease, including prescribing medications for the treatment of eye disease
- Consulting with and referring patients to ophthalmologists or other health professionals if additional medical treatment is necessary
- Detecting and diagnosing eye movement disorders and defects of binocular function, and planning and managing treatment programmes, including counselling patients in eye exercises to coordinate movement and focusing of eyes
- Prescribing corrective eyeglasses, contact lenses and other vision aids, and checking optical devices for performance, safety, comfort and lifestyle
- Advising on visual health matters such as contact lens care, vision care for the elderly, optics, visual ergonomics, and occupational and industrial eye safety
Finding optometrists and ophthalmic opticians jobs in Europe
- EURES is the official job portal of the EU public employment services. The search above looks for "Ophthalmic optician".
- Some jobs are regulated professions: before you can work, your qualification may need to be recognised in the new country.
- If you are not an EU/EEA citizen you will usually need a work permit or a visa such as the EU Blue Card. Check the rules of the country's immigration authority.
Cost of living where the jobs are
Take-home pay needed to rent a good 1-bedroom flat in the capitals of countries reporting a shortage:
About this data
- Shortage and surplus: European Labour Authority, EURES Report on labour shortages and surpluses 2025, annex table 21 (published 2026). Each country's public employment service reports which occupations it finds hard to fill or in oversupply. Countries not listed did not report this occupation as either.
- Definition, tasks and job titles: International Labour Organization, ISCO-08 structure and definitions.
- Pay: Eurostat, Structure of Earnings Survey 2022 (earn_ses22_48), by occupation group. United Kingdom, closest UK occupation: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (median pay of full-time employees).
- Job ads: Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Germany) and Arbetsförmedlingen (Sweden), refreshed about once a day.