The UK's eight optometry schools whittled down more than 5,000 degree applications to around 610 undergraduate places following yet another record-breaking year for A-level results.
Amid concerns the exams are getting easier 24.1 per cent of all entries received an A grade most admissions tutors said the experience was similar to last year.
Some reported a big drop in applications with Anglia Ruskin University and Aston's applications falling by around 33 and 19 per cent respectively.
Most schools asked for two As and a B (AAB) or ABB, including two science subjects, to fill the same number of places as last year. Only Glasgow Caledonian University changed the size of its intake, increasing the first year from 50 to 60 students.
Anglia Ruskin University saw the number of applicants fall sharply from 600 last year to 400 this, while the number of places available remained the same at 40.
Dr Ebi Osuobeni said while the numbers had dropped he also thought the grades achieved last year were better. Anglia's grade requirement remained unchanged at ABB.
Aston University was converting offers for students with AAB, the same as last year, as is the size of the intake at 120 places. Applications fell from 870 to 703.
Bradford University's Dr Declan McKeefry said its offers were also unchanged at ABB. He said applications were slightly down at 720 but the intake was the same at 100 UK students and 10 from overseas.
He added that one noticeable trend was the lack of physics among many of the applicants which, he said, added to a general lack of confidence in students' numeracy.
Cardiff said its number of applications had fallen slightly but that the intake was again 70, with an AAB requirement.
Manchester had more than 800 hopefuls vying for 65-70 places at ABB while Ulster said it had received 246 applications for its 32 places with students having to achieve AAB. City University asked for AAB and filled 112 places from 705 applications.