the GOC is rewriting the rules on sight testing: here's what's actually changing.

The General Optical Council (GOC) has recently opened a 14-week consultation on an updated statement on the testing of sight (the shake-up since 2013) alongside revised standards on supervision and delegation – this is running until 21 October 2026.

Let’s put the regulatory jargon to one side for a second, and ask two simple questions: who’s allowed to do what part of a sight test, and who's responsible for it?

why is the GOC updating its sight testing regulations now?

The current rules date all the way back to 2013 (a lifetime ago in eye care terms). Since then, pre-screening by trained support staff has become routine, imaging and automated testing have come on in leaps and bounds.

So, it's not surprising to find out that the GOC decided a thirteen-year-old statement simply doesn't reflect how practices work today. Stemming from the regulator's 2022 Opticians Act evidence call, this review re-evaluates screening checks and sight test separation.

what does the draft GOC statement propose?

An optometrist can now officially hand off certain parts of the sight test to someone else, as long as they're still overseeing it.

That puts an official stamp on something plenty of practices already do, with support staff carrying out pre-screening and other checks.

Rather than spelling out a strict list of what is and isn't allowed, it sets out a framework that lets practices work in new ways (responsibly…).

Two things stay firmly in place (and they matter):

1)      The eye health check and the refraction stay together as a single sight test, so there's no splitting it up.

2)      Responsibility for the patient, and for the prescription, stays squarely with the optometrist running the test.

how the GOC consultation impacts optical staff and practice owners.

For dispensing opticians and optical support staff, this is arguably the bigger story. An official framework for delegated tasks strengthens the case for proper training and wider roles across the practice.

If you own a practice, it's worth reading the draft against how your testing actually works day to day. Plenty of practices will find it simply backs up what they already do, while some will spot gaps.

And if you're an Optometrist or Dispensing Optician on the GOC register, it's worth responding before the consultation closes, because this statement will have a huge influence on your role in the next ten years.  

There's a recruitment angle sitting in plain sight here, too: a framework that makes delegation official makes multi-skilled support staff and well-trained optical assistants more valuable, not less. It also turns investing in your people into something that helps you stay compliant, not just something that makes commercial sense.

how optometrists and DOs can submit feedback to the General Optical Council.

The consultation is open now and closes 21 October 2026. You can:

• Submit your response via the GOC consultation hub

• Email your views directly to consultations@optical.org

• Read the full GOC announcement for background on the proposals

• See the original words from the GOC Council meeting notes from 24 June 2026 if you want the full context on how this came about

how Talentshed can help.

As delegation becomes formalised, the value of a well-structured team only grows.

In short, Talentshed helps optical businesses recruit the optometrists, dispensing opticians, and support staff who make it all work, and helps candidates find employers investing in their development.

If the changing rules have you rethinking your team, click here to learn more.

Or, if you're reconsidering your current role and interested in exploring your options, we're here to help.

Sources referenced in this article: General Optical Council Council meeting, 24 June 2026; Optometry Scotland, "News from Council" (June 2026); FODO member update (2026).