A comprehensive study examining work-related stress among UK optometrists has identified key strategies practitioners use to cope with workplace pressures, alongside critical areas where employers can intervene to support their workforce.
The research, published in Optometry and Vision Science in August 2025, analysed responses from 1,284 optometrists registered with the General Optical Council (GOC), representing 7% of practising optometrists in the United Kingdom. The study was undertaken to address a significant gap in understanding how optometrists manage work-related stress, with lead author Neil Retallic noting that “there is limited research on how optometrists and organisations manage and mitigate these issues.”
The impetus for the research is clear: work-related stress among healthcare professionals has reached concerning levels. According to the 2024 GOC Registrant Workforce and Perceptions survey, 22% of UK optometrist respondents had taken a leave of absence from work due to stress in the preceding year. Risk factors included those early in their careers, younger females, and individuals living with a disability.
The qualitative analysis examined responses to three open-ended questions covering personal stress management strategies, potential employer interventions, and aspects of the role participants found most enjoyable. Participants were recruited through national optometry conferences, educational events, and professional organisation communications between April and July 2024.
Personal and Organisational Strategies
Researchers identified four main themes describing how optometrists personally manage work-related stress: in-work approaches, work-life balance strategies, leisure and social support activities, and personal and professional interventions.
combined efforts are essential to foster supportive work environments, reduce stress across the workforce, and drive the systemic changes necessary to enhance professional well-being and patient care
On the employer side, three key themes emerged: clinical efficiency and workload management, clinical-commercial business strategy, and workplace culture and emotional well-being.
Optometrists’ Strategies
Of the 1,043 respondents who reported personal strategies to minimise work-related stress, work-life balance modifications featured prominently, with 210 mentions. Many optometrists adjusted their work patterns, moving to part-time arrangements or flexible working schedules. As one respondent noted: “I cut down from full time to part time in the last 12 months due to burnout/anxiety”.
Physical activity emerged as the most popular coping mechanism, with 422 mentions of leisure and social support activities. Exercise alone was mentioned 109 times, with running and walking (68 mentions), gym sessions (34), and various sports proving particularly popular stress-relief outlets.
Within the workplace, optometrists employed various in-work approaches, garnering 305 mentions. These included taking scheduled breaks for microrecovery, managing workload through careful clinic scheduling and appointment management, and fostering strong team dynamics. Respondents emphasised the importance of controlling operational aspects and ensuring effective workload distribution supported by adequate team training.
Personal and professional interventions, mentioned 255 times, included mindset adjustments through meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises. Some respondents accessed professional support such as therapy, counselling, or mental health apps, while others focussed on lifestyle choices including balanced nutrition, hydration, and adequate sleep.
International Context
The research also referenced workplace challenges facing Australian optometrists. According to the paper, while clinical freedom and people-related interactions enhance the enjoyable aspects of the role in Australia, significant stressors mirror those in the UK, including “high workload demands, retail and clinical expectations, and management tasks”.
The study authors concluded that addressing work-related stress requires a collaborative approach “where individuals adopt personal coping strategies, and employers and the profession implement tailored, multifactorial interventions to mitigate systemic stressors”.
The research team, comprising experts from the University of Bradford and Leeds Beckett University, recommend that such combined efforts are “essential to foster supportive work environments, reduce stress across the workforce, and drive the systemic changes necessary to enhance professional well-being and patient care in optometry.”
With the primary reasons optometrists cite for wanting to leave the profession including disillusionment, stress, burnout, and fatigue, the study’s findings provide actionable recommendations to support the profession and inform future guidance for both individuals and employers.
Reference
Retallic N, Fylan F, David B, et al. A qualitative analysis of strategies for managing work-related stress among optometrists in the United Kingdom. Optometry and Vision Science ():10.1097/OPX.0000000000002294, August 27, 2025. Doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000002294.
