Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) has made history with the official commissioning of its Optometry and Auditory School by President and Chancellor of all State Universities, Dr. Emerson Mnangagwa this week.
The new facility, which includes a state-of-the-art lens production lab capable of producing 1,200 pairs of lenses in 24 hours, positions BUSE as the first university in Africa to own such a project. The advanced lab allows patients at the BUSE Optometry Clinic to receive their prescription lenses in under an hour.
Dr. Claudio Mutuwa, Chairman of the Department of Optometry, said the school’s vision is to deploy practicing optometrists across Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces, expanding access to essential eye care services nationwide.
“We aim to train professionals who can address the country’s eye health needs. Our students receive practical training at the Optometry Clinic, which has been operational since its commissioning by H.E. Dr. Mnangagwa in 2020. The clinic, open to the public, plays a key role in the students’ clinical assessments,” said Dr. Mutuwa.
The school has already attracted regional students, including two from Botswana and three from Zambia, highlighting BUSE’s growing influence in Southern Africa. Dr. Mutuwa noted that the idea for the Optometry and Auditory School was first proposed by stakeholders in 2018, marking the culmination of years of planning and collaboration.
The school is accepting students with five O-Level passes, including Mathematics and English, along with three A-Level passes in subjects such as Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, or Biology.
While the university’s lens production lab is fully operational, plans are underway to establish a spectacles frame production plant, which will further enhance BUSE’s capacity to meet regional demand for optical services.
