Optoversity Challenge Celebrates 10th Anniversary with record fundraising

Optoversity Challenge Celebrates 10th Anniversary with record fundraising and student success

The 10th Anniversary Optoversity Challenge 2026 has marked a milestone year, with 83 optometry students from 13 universities across the UK and Republic of Ireland taking part in this year’s competition.

The event raised over £9,000 for Vision Care, bringing the total funds raised over the past decade to more than £62,000 through student fundraising, sponsorship and donations. These vital funds help Vision Care champion the right to sight for people affected by homelessness, supporting the direct delivery of eye care services through the charity’s clinics.

The competition began with an online event for first- and second-year students, followed by two simultaneous in-person finals. The northern final was hosted by the University of Huddersfield, while the southern event took place at EssilorLuxottica’s glazing laboratories in Thornbury.  Across both stages, students were challenged through clinically focused scenarios designed to reflect real-world optometric practice.

The challenge forms part of Vision Care’s wider strategic focus on education, supporting the development of a future workforce equipped to deliver inclusive and adaptable care. Participants are encouraged to consider both the clinical and non-clinical complexities of treating people experiencing homelessness, including communication, trust-building, and adapting standard approaches to meet the needs of underserved populations.

The overall winning team was the University of the West of England (UWE), successfully defending the title for the fourth consecutive year.

In a dramatic head-to-head final between top-scoring students Jessica Noyce (South) and Waarisha Mir (North), third-year student Waarisha from Anglia Ruskin University was crowned Grand Champion 2026. Waarisha received prizes generously sponsored by EssilorLuxottica and Haag-Streit.

The Student Fundraising Challenge was won by Libby Belton, a second-year student from Anglia Ruskin University. Libby was awarded a student ophthalmoscope and retinoscope set, kindly donated by Keeler to encourage and recognise exceptional fundraising efforts. Anglia Ruskin University also secured the award for Top Fundraising Team overall.

Gajan Singh from Out of the Box Optics said:

“The Out of the Box team are delighted with the success of this year’s event. Volunteers worked incredibly hard to ensure everything ran smoothly, while students gained valuable clinical experience, networking opportunities and insight into the profession.

The 10th anniversary was made especially memorable thanks to the support of our sponsors. We are proud of the fundraising achievements, which directly support Vision Care’s outstanding work, and we look forward to building on this success in future years.”

The organisers extend sincere thanks to all companies that supported this year’s challenge, including AOP, Birmingham Optical, EssilorLuxottica, Eyespace Eyewear, Frost Optical Services, FODO, Haag-Streit, Hilditch, Keeler, Menicon, Mondottica, Optometry 101, Optomyze, Specsavers, Théa, The Body Doctor, Tokai, Topcon and Wolf Eyewear.

Special recognition goes to the event’s major sponsors, Specsavers and EssilorLuxottica, who not only provided financial support but also played a key role in delivering elements of the competition. Specsavers facilitated an OSCE station for online participants and hosted a prize-giving celebration in Cambridge for Anglia Ruskin students. EssilorLuxottica welcomed 25 third-year students and volunteers to its production base in Thornbury, including hosting some really informative tours of the laboratory.

Charlotte Timbury from EssilorLuxottica said:  “We are incredibly proud to have sponsored and hosted part of this year’s Optoversity Challenge, particularly as it marks the 10th anniversary of such an inspiring initiative. It has been a privilege to support such talented and dedicated students, and we warmly congratulate the winning team and every participant on their outstanding achievements.”

Feedback from students was overwhelming:

‘I’d like to say thank-you for the organisation of the event. I was really nervous to take part, but it was such a fun and informative event. It was also very great to learn about the services that Vision Care offers, and I am hoping to volunteer my skillset after graduating.’

‘Thank you for your commitment to the challenge this year, it was amazing!’

‘I really enjoyed the Optoversity Challenge and what a worthwhile cause to support.’

‘I would like to thank you and the hosts for making the challenge today very enjoyable. It was a great insight into the different companies involved in Optometry and it was very useful to see the OSCE format.’

‘Thank you for hosting Optoversity this year, I very much enjoyed it!’

‘Thank you again for this excellent opportunity!’

‘I also want to thank you and the team for organising such a fun event. It was a fantastic experience, and I really enjoyed the quiz. I’m looking forward to participating in future events! Thank you again for all the effort that went into making the challenge so engaging.’

‘My Team and I participated in the 10th Anniversary Out of the Box Optics Optoversity Challenge in the south by Vision Care. We (Cardiff) competed with university students from Dublin, UWE, ARU and Huddersfield. It was a rewarding experience to learn skills and meet students from all over the UK who share the same passion in optometry. Thank you EssilorLuxottica for hosting!

‘The (OSCE) stations were a great opportunity to apply knowledge in a practical, low-pressure setting .. The day also included an engaging talk on myopia management and research analysis .. We also had the chance to attend a career panel discussion, where we could ask questions about individual career paths. I found the conversations around volunteering abroad, different pathways within optometry, and the future of myopia management particularly fascinating.

Optical professionals, educators and companies interested in supporting the 11th Optoversity Challenge, scheduled for the 2026–27 academic year, are encouraged to contact alison@visioncarecharity.org.uk.