• Goal 1

  To graduate optometrists with optometry doctor degree who are competent and able to provide primary eye care services that are comparable to the best international standards in optometry.

• Goal 2

  Conduct research using evidence-based method that contribute to the scientific advancement in the field and serve the community.

• Goal 3

  Collaborate with government institutions and actively participate in community service activities and initiatives to promote eye health and vision awareness.

The Optometry Department at the College of Applied Medical Sciences is the only department in the Gulf region and the Middle East that graduates optometrists who are able to deal with the eye in an integrated manner, from examining eyesight and diagnosing pathological conditions and transferring them to the appropriate clinic. Scientific studies of the problem of blindness have proven that refractive errors (such as myopia, farsightedness and deviation) constitute one of the most important causes of blindness in the world. These refractive errors and other eye diseases can be combated and eliminated or reduced if there are persons qualified to work as optometrists on this basis. From this point of view, the Department of Optometry in the College of Applied Medical Sciences teaches and trains students to learn about vision problems and eye diseases and how to treat them, so that they are qualified to work as optometrists. The study plan of the department is concerned with early diagnosis and treatment of vision problems and common eye diseases through theoretical and practical lectures, which include

• Eye and vision examination

• Prescribing eyeglasses, contact lenses for various medical conditions such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, keratoconus.

• Diagnosis and treatment of strabismus.

• Early detection and diagnosis of common eye diseases

• Prescribing visual aids for patients with severe vision impairment

It also requires the student, after completing all courses in the study plan, to conduct clinical training for a full year in eye clinics in several government hospitals to apply all clinical skills in specialization and benefit from the experience of practitioners, whether in the field of ophthalmology and optometry.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

تأسس قسم البصريات وعلوم الرؤية بجامعة الملك سعود منذ حوالي أكثر من 30 عام وذلك بهدف الايفاء باحتياج القطاع الصحي في المملكة العربية السعودية لتخصص البصريات. ويعمل القسم منذ تأسيسه على مواكبة التطور المستمر في التعليم ، ففي العام 1430/1431 هـ قام القسم بتدشين برنامج الماجستير بمساريه المقررات والبحثي وذلك للمساهمة في الإرتقاء بالتخصص ودعم حركة البحث العلمي. ويعتبر برنامج ماجستير العلوم في البصريات في كلية العلوم الطبية التطبيقية هو الأول والوحيد في المملكة العربية السعودية وفي منطقة الشرق الأوسط .

وفي العام 1432/1433 هـ بدأ القسم في استقبال اول دفعة من طلبة برنامج دكتور البصريات وذلك إيماناً بالجودة العلمية لهذا البرنامج من ناحية وتماشياً مع المعايير العالمية للجامعات التي تمنح درجة البكالوريوس في تخصص البصريات من الناحية الاخرى.  

إن أهمية التخصص تنبع من كون أخصائيي وأخصائيات البصريات هم خط الدفاع الأول عن العين وهم المؤهلون لتقديم  الرعاية الأولية والفحص الدوري للعين وتصحيح العيوب الانكسارية للبالغين والاطفال مما يساهم في الحفاظ على صحة وسلامة العين في المجتمع وتقليل المضاعفات التي قد تحدث نتيجة عدم التشخيص المبكر لامراض العيون . ويعنى قسم البصريات وعلوم الرؤية بتأهيل الكوادر تأهيلاً إحترافيا وذا جودة عالية لتقديم خدمة الرعاية الأولية للعين، ويهدف الى أن يكون رائدا ومتميزا في مجال التعليم الاكاديمي والبحث العلمي.

ختاماً يبذل القسم جهوداً دائمة لتطوير العملية التعليمية وتدريب الطلبة على أحدث النظم والتقنيات ويضع نصب عينيه شعار الجودة العالية في كل خطوة بما يتماشى مع اهداف الجامعة ورؤية المملكة 2030 م.

رئيس القسم

د. رائد بن أحمد فقيهي

“The Department of Optometry aims at graduating specialists with Optometry Doctor degree which qualifies the graduates to practice professionally in the field of optometry and provide primary eye care in addition to the contribution to scientific research and community service to the expectation of community, national and international standards.”

Excellence, leadership and innovation in the field of optometry and vision sciences.

Welcome to the Optometry Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University!

The Optometry Department is located within the College of Applied Medical Sciences giving our students the opportunity to be surrounded by health professionals and researchers in a variety of disciplines.

We offer a high-quality learning environment that aims to educate, well-train and graduate future doctors of optometry who care about their patients and communities. This will, in turn, boost eye care services and help prevent visual impairment and blindness in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In addition to Optometry Doctor (OD) degree, we also host Master’s degree in Vision Science. Thus, we are not only training the future best clinicians but also scientists. We are proud that our OD program is fully accredited by the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment reflecting the genuine effort made by faculty members, staff, students and alumni.

Our outstanding faculty not only prepare future doctors of optometry but also deliver eye care services in different specialized clinics including contact lenses, binocular vision, low vision rehabilitation, color vision and geriatric and pediatric vision care.

We commit ourselves to always enhancing our programs and boosting local optometric services in light of the Kingdom’s vision 2030.

Essam Saad Almutleb, MSc, PhD

Head, Optometry Department

Objectives
1. To provide high quality academic programs coinciding with the latest updated knowledge with the expansion in postgraduate studies programs.
2. To prepare leaders and specialists who are capable to provide distinguished care in the fields of community health.
3. To encourage and activate joint and multidisciplinary scientific researches and to support applied and community-based researches.
4. To disseminate health literacy and inculcate values and attitudes thatfacilitate the adoption of healthy lifestyles and behaviors among members of society.
5. To provide consultancy services and continuous medical education programs for community health specialists.
6. To build and strengthen the relationship with health promotion related-sectors by opening new prospects for cooperation and partnerships to link the education process to community health needs and the requirements of the labor market.

Mission
To contribute in the health promotion through qualifying internationally competitive specialized cadres in the fields of community health, to produce unique scientific researches that contribute in building the knowledge society and solving priority public health problems, and to mobilize community participation which will be reflected positively on health development of the society.