The Optometry programme has equipped students to become competent primary healthcare practitioners. Apart from acquiring knowledge about ocular health in class, with the guidance of supervisors, students also performed eye examinations and managed eye diseases during clinical placements. The School regularly arranged local and overseas vision screenings for different target groups, for example, people with special needs, elderlies and children. By participating in these activities and interacting with people from different backgrounds, I have learned that caring and patience are essential qualities to possess as an optometrist. My journey at PolyU has been fulfilling; I am glad that my occupation allows me to contribute to the community and help those in need continually.

We might once regard University as the destination, but rather, it is another new start. The Optometry Programme equipped us for the future by providing excellent opportunities to explore various career options. Besides gaining the knowledge and skillsets to be optometrists, we also developed a thorough understanding of the optometric field through clinical placements, attachments, overseas exchanges, and studentship programmes. With all of these, we were confident to take our best-suited paths after graduation. The delightful experience as a student assistant under the Summer Research Studentship has motivated me to enter the academic world as a research postgraduate. I am proud to be an optometrist and a junior vision researcher.

The Optometry programme not only shaped us to become professional and competent, but also focused on our social responsibility. Participating in local and overseas vision screenings allowed me to connect to the community and the world by applying what I had learnt in the classroom to help people in need. Volunteering to conduct vision screenings in Xinjiang, Qinghai, Cambodia and Vietnam was remarkably rewarding. We performed different screening tests and prescribed glasses for patients. Every smile and “thank you” was heartwarming. With a passion and drive to serve the community, I enjoy every moment of my work as an optometrist.