Optometrists sit OET Optometry for registration, for example with the Optometry Board of Australia through AHPRA, or for work in other countries whose regulator accepts OET. Check the accepted test format before you book.
In 2025 optometry candidates averaged 305 Listening, 305 Reading, 322 Writing and 363 Speaking. Those Listening and Reading averages sit well below the 350 and 360 that AHPRA now asks for.
| Sub-test | For optometrists |
|---|---|
| Listening (about 40 min) | Same test for all 12 professions |
| Reading (60 min) | Same test for all 12 professions |
| Writing (45 min) | A letter from optometry case notes, usually to ophthalmologist, GP, endocrinologist |
| Speaking (about 20 min) | Two role-plays in settings like optometry practice, hospital eye clinic, community eye care service; the interlocutor plays a patient or parent of a child patient |
OET Optometry is computer-only in 2026: at a test venue or OET@Home, Monday to Saturday. There is no paper session for optometrists.
Sample OET Optometry role-play card
Setting
Optometry practice
Candidate
You are an optometrist. Mr Vincent Moreau, 61, came in for new reading glasses. You found raised pressure in both eyes and changes to the optic nerve that suggest glaucoma. You plan to refer him to an ophthalmologist. He has no symptoms and says he is too busy for 'more appointments'.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Find out about his eye history and any family history of eye disease
- Explain what glaucoma is and why it often has no early symptoms
- Reassure him that treatment can usually slow or stop further loss of sight
- Persuade him to attend the ophthalmologist appointment soon
- Check his understanding and what he should do if his vision changes
You get 3 minutes to read the card and plan, then about 5 minutes to talk. Two assessors mark the recording: four language criteria and five clinical communication criteria. This card is original, written for this site.
Sample OET Optometry letter task
Urgent referral: suspected wet macular degeneration. You are an optometrist. Mrs Dorothy Pimm, 77, has noticed distorted vision in her right eye for two weeks. Your examination suggests wet age-related macular degeneration.
Case notes (extract)
- Mrs Dorothy Pimm, 77
- 2 wks: straight lines look wavy R eye; difficulty reading
- Visual acuity: R 6/18 (6/9 in 03/26); L 6/9
- Amsler grid: central distortion R eye
- R macula: small haemorrhage + raised area; L: drusen only
- Hx: hypertension; ex-smoker (quit 2010)
- Wears progressive lenses; new frames ordered 03/26
- Drives short distances in daylight
- Advised: no driving until reviewed; check L eye with Amsler grid daily
- Phoned clinic 21/10/26: appt offered 23/10/26
Task: Using the information in the case notes, write a letter to Dr Imogen Hartley, Ophthalmologist, referring Mrs Pimm for urgent assessment and treatment.
What a strong letter leaves out
- Wears progressive lenses; new frames ordered 03/26 — routine dispensing detail, irrelevant to an urgent referral
- Hx: hypertension; ex-smoker (quit 2010) — compress to a short phrase; secondary to the main finding
Letter types optometrists meet most:
Optometry words to spell right
Listening Part A and your letter both lose marks for misspelt clinical words. Ten that optometrists need:
| Word | Note |
|---|---|
| ophthalmologist | Eye surgeon; spelling trap: o-p-h-t-h-a-l. |
| intraocular pressure | IOP; pressure inside the eye, measured in mmHg. |
| glaucoma | Optic nerve damage, often with raised eye pressure. |
| cataract | Clouding of the lens; spelt c-a-t-a-r-a-c-t. |
| macula | Central retina; adjective macular, as in macular degeneration. |
| retina | Light-sensitive layer; retinal detachment is an emergency. |
| astigmatism | Uneven focusing from corneal shape; note -stig- in the middle. |
| presbyopia | Age-related loss of near focus; presby-, not presbi-. |
| diplopia | Double vision; -opia ending. |
| visual acuity | VA; recorded as, for example, 6/6 in Australia and the UK. |
Practise hearing and spelling them: medical spelling dictation.
How optometrists scored in 2025
OET publishes average scores by profession. For optometrists in 2025:
| Sub-test | Average | Grade | Against 350 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 305 | C+ | 45 below 350 |
| Reading | 305 | C+ | 45 below 350 |
| Writing | 322 | C+ | 28 below 350 |
| Speaking | 363 | B | at or above 350 |
Averages hide a wide spread, but they show where optometrists most often lose marks. Listening and Reading are the same test for every profession, so free Listening practice counts for you too.
Score lines for optometrists
| Regulator | Country | L | R | W | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AHPRA (all National Boards) | Australia | 350 | 360 | 350 | 360 |
AHPRA's English standard covers every National Board (including the optometry board) and needs 350 / 360 / 350 / 360 for tests from 23 April 2026.
Combining sittings, OET@Home and validity for every regulator: OET score requirements by regulator.
Tips for OET Optometry
- Write visual acuity, pressures and findings in full sentences: 'Her right visual acuity has dropped from 6/9 to 6/18 since March.' Show change over time.
- Urgent referrals should say why the case is urgent and what you have already arranged, such as an appointment date, so the reader can act quickly.
- Patients with no symptoms are hard to persuade. Explain that damage can happen before they notice anything, then link treatment to what they value, such as driving or reading.
- Use plain words: 'the nerve at the back of the eye' rather than 'optic disc'. Check understanding by asking the patient to say the plan back.
Questions candidates ask
Is OET Optometry harder than OET Nursing?
No. Listening and Reading are the same papers, and Writing and Speaking share the same criteria. In 2025 optometry candidates averaged 305 in both Listening and Reading, close to nurses (313 and 303). Those scores reflect the candidates, not a harder test.
Which letter types come up in OET Optometry?
Most optometry tasks are referral letters, usually to an ophthalmologist and sometimes to a GP, for example when signs of diabetes or high blood pressure are found during an eye examination. Update and advice letters also appear. Write about 180 to 200 words in 40 minutes, after 5 minutes of reading.
Can optometrists take OET on paper?
No. In 2026 Optometry is computer-only, at a test venue or with OET@Home, from Monday to Saturday. AHPRA does not accept OET@Home, so optometrists applying in Australia need to book a test venue.
What score do optometrists need for OET?
It depends on the regulator. In Australia, the Optometry Board through AHPRA asks for 350 Listening, 360 Reading, 350 Writing and 360 Speaking for tests from 23 April 2026. Other countries set their own requirements; see the score lines page.
Other professions: Nursing, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Podiatry, Radiography, Speech Pathology, Veterinary Science.
Sources
- OET Test Handbook 2026
- OET: 2025 test statistics, candidate performance
- OET: Book a test (2026 schedule)
- OET sample tests for Optometry
Last checked 22 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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