Centre for Eyecare Excellence (CEE)

The eyecare clinic on campus offering a wide range of optometry services
Centre for Eyecare Excellence (CEE)

Due to the corona-virus outbreak any non essential appointments are being cancelled at this time in the interest of the health and well being of both patients and staff. We are currently still operating as a working clinic with availability for patients presenting with ocular symptoms that require investigation as a matter of urgency. We are closely following government guidance, and the situation may change in line with this. We will get in touch to rebook as soon as we can. If you have any queries you are welcome to get in touch.

Our eye care clinic, the Centre for Eyecare Excellence (C.E.E), is situated near the University campus. Representing a regional drive to bring optometry training to the South West through a state-of-the-art teaching facility for undergraduate and postgraduate optometrists, it is equipped with the latest instrumentation as well as optically trained and fully qualified staff.

An important aspect of the training provided is the supervised clinics with members of the public that our students undertake, particularly in their final year. Our aim is to provide eye care services to the Plymouth community and beyond. We strive to acquire a variety of patients to help our students gain experience through each stage of their three year course. The Centre for Eyecare Excellence represents a shared regional hub for networking and furthering education whilst growing as a valuable source of information and guiding new talent.

Due to our student numbers increasing we had to split our clinic into two separate sites. The second site, held on the second floor of the Wellbeing Centre, is now accommodating a lot of our specialist clinics. Unfortunately this may mean we will have to book you two separate appointments across two separate sites. The clinic is only a five minute walk away and we are more than happy to guide you as well as provide you with a map.

Our gallery shows the services that the Centre for Eyecare Excellence provides.

Our clinics

Private eye test offer

The Centre for Eye Care Excellence on Gibbon Street is offering discounted eye tests for University of Plymouth staff, NHS workers, armed forces, emergency services and carers. These tests last approximately 45 minutes, are with a fully qualified Optometrist using state of the art equipment and cost only £25 instead of £35.

This offer is available through the year on selected days. Not only do you get discounted sight tests we also offer 10% discount on our wide range of frames. This also can be applied to stock prescription and non-prescription sunglasses, prescription safety spectacles, prescription swimming goggles and sport spectacles.

If you are eligible for please contact us to book an appointment. Call 01752 583100 or email cee@plymouth.ac.uk.

Award-winning pioneers

In September 2012, the optometry teaching team scooped a prestigious Vice-Chancellor's Enterprise Pioneering Initiative Award for bringing the new optometry programme to the University of Plymouth. 

As part of this accolade, CEE has been acknowledged as providing a centre for excellence in the region where eye care professionals and students can exchange ideas - furthering knowledge in the field and widening opportunities.

In 2013, BSc (Hons) Optometry student Claire Gorman won the CooperVision Student Summit grand prize and acclaimed title of Student of the Year 2013. 

Claire was crowned the winner out of seven finalists in a double celebration for the University of Plymouth as it was the first year that one of our students had entered the competition. 

Claire was also shortlisted for the Association of Optometrists Student of the Year 2014 competition.

Clinic manager Linda Cutler has also received her share of recognition as she has been shortlisted for the Association of Optometrists Optical Assistant of the Year for two years running, in 2013 and 2014.

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BSc (Hons) Optometry students

BSc (Hons) Optometry

Our current enrolment is 108 students across three years led by a small, dedicated, passionate and inspirational academic team, with our 30 third year students carrying out eye examinations and clinics at the Centre for Eyecare Excellence.

We were delighted to see our first cohort graduate in 2014, with many of the students going straight into jobs within the industry.

Find out more about the BSc (Hons) Optometry

Meet the team

What our patients say

I was really impressed with how welcoming the team were and how thorough the eye examination was. The student who carried out my examination was confident and had excellent support from the supervising optometrist.

What our patients say

I recently attended the CEE opticians for a contact lens check and eyesight test. From the very first contact I found the students and optometry team to be welcoming, friendly, efficient and professional. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend CEE.