Clinical guide · Free to read
Getting to grips with retinoscopy.
Work through setup, technique and common difficulties in the static retinoscopy student guide.
Read the retinoscopy guide
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Practical learning.
Explore all resources
A place for the questions
A little support for life in eye care.Member sign in
For eye care professionals & students
Practical learning.
Real-world perspective.
A skill question from clinic, or a bit of encouragement. Find practical guides, useful tools and people who understand life in eye care.
Free articles and open resources, with premium tools and courses in the community.
Start with something useful
Something useful to start with.
Selected public resources to read, revisit and share.
Learning tool · Free to use
Make sense of transposition.
Explore plus- and minus-cylinder prescription forms with the public transposition calculator.
Open the calculatorStudy & reflection · Free to read
A structure for history taking.
Explore the LOFTSEA framework and how it can help structure a thoughtful patient history.
Explore history takingMore to explore:Open Skill Centre All articles More advanced simulators, courses and resources are available in the community.
Keep learning, together
A place for the questions
between the textbooks.
The community platform brings resources, simulators, courses, forums and live events into one place—alongside people who understand life in eye care.
Everything listed in this section is included in both membership plans. Choose monthly or annual membership to suit you.
Take a look at the communityOpen a section to see what’s included.
01Skills to practiseCourses, simulators and cases to work through at your own pace.
- Skill simulatorsPractise with logMAR, cover test, motility, soft contact lens and RGP simulators. More are in development, and content is added or refreshed where needed.
- Ret Mess to Ret SuccessExplore common student mistakes in retinoscopy, what happens as a result, and how to put them right.
- Beyond PERRLA – Decoding the PupilUnderstand how the pupil pathway works, common assessment mistakes and how to put them right, alongside the pupil defects you may see.
- Slit Lamp HandbookAn online course covering the slit lamp and slit-lamp BIO.
- Case studiesWork through cases based on presentations you may see in practice.
02Conversations in clinicResources for history taking and building trust in the testing room.
- History and Symptoms: The Eye ExaminationDigital access to Jason’s book is included.
- History and symptoms scriptsAdditional scripts with insights to help you think through your questions.
- Building Trust and Adding ValueTesting-room tips for CLiP, pre-reg and newly qualified colleagues making the move from study to clinic.
03People to learn withA professional forum, a student forum and room to get to know each other.
- Professional forumA place for professional discussion and shared experience.
- Student forumBring your study questions and learn alongside other students.
- Community networkConnect with qualified optometrists, dispensing opticians and other eye care professionals, as well as students.
- Live eventsOnline coffee breaks, virtual escape rooms, games nights, lectures and other social or educational events. Events can also be arranged for university optical societies on request.
04Life beyond the textbookSpace for encouragement, everyday advocacy and a little fun.
- The Student BlueprintTips for making the most of your time at university and in training.
- Points of LightSpace for perspective, encouragement and reflection on life in eye care.
- Advocate ChallengeOccasional challenges to improve workplace respect and the patient experience.
- Tr-eye-adsA daily connections-style game with eye care themes.
Who you may learn alongsideThe community includes qualified optometrists, dispensing opticians and other eye care professionals who may participate independently. They may contribute posts, offer educational perspectives or create content within their areas of expertise. Their presence does not imply endorsement of The Eye Care Advocate or its content. Participation and responses are voluntary; activity, availability and individual advice are not guaranteed. This is peer learning, rather than a clinical supervision or patient-specific advice service.
Membership, clearly explained
Same access. Your choice of plan.
Everything listed above is included, whether you pay £15 a month or £150 a year. The community is aimed mainly at UK optometrists and optometry students, while welcoming eye care professionals at every stage and from around the world.
Monthly membership
£15/ month
£15 billed in advance each month.
Renews monthly until cancelled.
- All the courses, simulators and case studies above
- Digital book access and history-taking scripts
- Both forums, live events and community activities
Manage renewal through your community account.
Annual membership
Save £30 a year*£150/ year
£150 billed in advance each year.
Renews annually until cancelled.
- All the courses, simulators and case studies above
- Digital book access and history-taking scripts
- Both forums, live events and community activities
One annual payment, rather than monthly instalments.
*Compared with 12 monthly payments of £15 (£180). Cancel renewal in your account before the next billing date; access normally continues to the end of the paid period. Statutory cancellation and refund rights are unaffected. Read the membership terms and privacy notice before joining. Membership is for eligible adults aged 18+. The platform is guided mainly around UK optometry and the standards set by the General Optical Council; international members are welcome, but should understand that the community is UK-based. Existing agreed member offers remain subject to their original commitments.
The person behind the platform
Built from life in eye care.
I’m Jason Searle, an optometrist and educator. I started The Eye Care Advocate to share what I’ve learnt through teaching and life in eye care — including the bits that don’t always make it into a textbook. My reflections are personal; use clinical resources alongside current guidance, your training and your professional judgement.
Read Jason’s storyBefore you join
A few useful answers.
Looking for something else? Get in touch. Please do not send identifiable patient information.
What can I use without paying?
The public website’s free articles, Open Skill Centre guides and public transposition calculator can be accessed without a paid membership. Premium tools, courses, simulators and community spaces are available through the £15/month or £150/year plans.
Do both plans include everything?
Yes. Monthly and annual members get the same access to all the resources, forums and activities listed above, including digital access to History and Symptoms: The Eye Examination. The difference is how often you pay. Live events run on scheduled dates; expert participation is voluntary.
Who is the paid community for?
Content has been built by and for optometry students in the UK, but many resources and Points of Light are useful to other eye care professionals too. Membership is for eligible adults aged 18 or over: qualified optometrists, dispensing opticians, ophthalmologists, orthoptists and other eye care professionals, alongside people training for a recognised optometric qualification. The community is UK-focused, while many educational resources, courses and simulators have wider clinical value. International members are welcome if they understand the UK context. Please check the current eligibility requirements in the membership terms before joining. Public eye-health articles remain available to a wider audience.
Can I get advice about a current patient?
No. This is not a second-opinion service, and you remain responsible for the patients in your care. There is an inherent confidentiality risk in sharing patient details, images or combinations of “jigsaw” information that could identify someone, so please do not post them. Use your appropriate clinical pathways and professional support. For a dedicated second-opinion app, I advocate Ask Fellow Optoms.
Are experts always available?
No. Qualified professionals may participate, offer educational perspectives or create content in their areas of expertise, but they do so independently and voluntarily. Their presence does not imply endorsement and does not guarantee responses, availability or review of any particular item. Jason is the primary contact through the community platform and will reply where he can.
Does membership award qualifications or GOC CPD points?
Membership itself does not award a formal clinical qualification or GOC CPD points. My current aim is for people to learn for growth, not simply to meet statutory requirements. CPD accreditation is on the platform’s pathway, but it is not yet established; any separately accredited activity would need its own explicit approval details. Educational resources cannot guarantee exam results or replace supervised training.
How do renewal and cancellation work?
The monthly plan renews at £15 each month and the annual plan at £150 each year unless cancelled. You can stop renewal through your community account before the next billing date. Access normally continues until your paid period ends. Statutory cancellation and refund rights remain applicable; consult the membership terms and checkout information for the details of your purchase. If you need help, contact us.
Is this approved or endorsed by the GOC?
The Eye Care Advocate is an independent education and community platform. It does not claim GOC approval or endorsement. UK professional guidance provides context for learning; professionals must check current guidance and the requirements that apply to their own practice and location.