The candidate card
Setting
Optometry practice
Candidate
You are an optometrist. Ms Raelene Eversley has brought her 7-year-old son for his annual eye examination. He was prescribed glasses for short-sightedness (myopia) a year ago, and today his myopia has increased noticeably in both eyes, from about -1.00 D to about -2.25 D. You would like to discuss myopia-control options and arrange a review in 6 months.
Task (interlocutor: parent)
- Find out about her son's daily routine (how often he wears his glasses, screen use, time spent outdoors)
- Reassure Ms Eversley that glasses do not weaken the eyes, and explain why her son should keep wearing them full-time
- Explain the main option to slow down his short-sightedness (myopia-control spectacle lenses) and give supportive everyday advice (more time outdoors, healthier screen habits)
- Agree a plan, including a review in 6 months
In the test you get 3 minutes to read the card and plan, then about 5 minutes to talk. This card is original, written for this site; the interlocutor's card is not shown.
How to approach this card
- Ask about the daily routine first: when he wears his glasses, screens and outdoor time. A parent who sees questions as a check on her parenting may hold back, so ask in a neutral, curious way.
- Ms Eversley may fear that the glasses, or something she did, caused the change. Address this early by saying glasses do not weaken eyes, then explain why full-time wear still matters for his vision.
- Explain that his short-sightedness has increased noticeably since last year, from about -1.00 D to about -2.25 D. Do not drown her in numbers; say it is in both eyes and that this is why you want to act.
- Describe myopia-control spectacle lenses as the main way to slow it down. Be honest that the aim is to slow progress, not to promise it will stop. Then give outdoor time and screen habits as supportive.
- Keep the advice to a few realistic changes for a 7-year-old. Close with the 6-month review and ask her to say what she will try first. If time is short, prioritise the glasses message and the lens option.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- Lots of parents worry the glasses made it worse. They don't weaken his eyes.
- Tell me about a normal day for him, from school to bedtime.
- We can't promise to stop it, but we can try to slow it down.
- Which of these changes feels easiest for your family to start with?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| myopia | Short-sightedness, where things in the distance look blurry. |
| myopia-control spectacle lenses | Special glasses lenses designed to help slow down how fast short-sightedness gets worse. |
| dioptre (D) | The unit for glasses strength; a bigger minus number means stronger short-sightedness. |
How this card is marked
Two assessors mark the recording on nine criteria: intelligibility, fluency, appropriateness of language and resources of grammar and expression (each 0–6), then relationship building, understanding and incorporating the patient's perspective, providing structure, information gathering and information giving (each 0–3). Grade B usually means 5 on each language criterion and 2 on each clinical one. See the AI Speaking practice guide for what each criterion looks for.
More Optometry role-play cards
- Contact lens overwear and papillary conjunctivitis Optometry practice
- Raised eye pressure: reluctance to see an ophthalmologist Optometry practice
- Retinal tear: same-day referral before a flight Optometry practice
All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Optometry.
Questions about this role-play
What if she says he takes his glasses off all the time?
Explore why without blame: comfort, fit, teasing or forgetting. Explain that wearing them full-time is the plan, and offer practical help such as checking the fit. Involve her son by asking him how they feel.
How should I handle questions about screens?
Avoid making her feel at fault. Say that healthier screen habits are one supportive step alongside the lenses, and ask what is realistic in her home. Keep to the advice on the card and do not invent hour limits.
Should I promise the lenses will work?
No. Say they are the main option to slow his short-sightedness, and that the review in 6 months will show how things are going. Promising results risks disappointment and undermines trust if his prescription changes again.
Sources
Last checked 22 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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