Optometry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Optometry (Greek: optos meaning seen or visible and metria meaning measurement) is the health care profession concerned with examination, diagnosis, and treatment of the eyes and related structures and with determination and correction of vision problems using lenses and other optical aids [1].
Contents |
[edit] Optometric work
An optometrist is a doctor and an eye care professional who is a primary care practitioner for most vision and ocular health concerns. "Optometrists" or "optometric physicians" as they are sometimes called in the United States, are trained to diagnose, manage, and treat a multitude of visual and ocular health-related concerns, including but not limited to, fitting and prescribing glasses and contact lenses, diagnosing and treating muscular abnormalities, treating minor ocular injuries, diagnosing and treating diseases such as glaucoma and diagnosing others such as diabetic retinopathy. Optometric physicians in Oklahoma may perform certain laser procedures.[1][2]
Optometrists are experts in determining one's refractive error and prescribing the appropriate correction. In the United States they perform comprehensive eye exams and diagnose and treat eye diseases and disorders whether they be visual or physical. As with all medical practitioners, referrals are made when more specialized care is needed.
[edit] Licensing and education
In the United States, optometrists are health care professionals who after attending a four year undergraduate program complete a four year doctoral program resulting in the Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree. They are required to receive q license through state boards, and some go on to complete post-graduate residencies. Some optometrists further their education with advanced training (usually as a fellowship) in a specific sub-specialty. These specialties can include pediatric care, geriatric care, pre- and post-surgery care, specialty contact lens (for keratoconus patients or other corneal dystrophies) and many others. The American Optometric Association characterizes doctors of optometry as "primary eye care providers."
The scope of practice for optometrists, as with all professionals, is limited by local legislature and overlaps that of ophthalmologists. In general, Optometrists practice primary and preventive eye care, while ophthalmologists perform eye surgery; however, in Oklahoma current legislation allows optometrists to perform some non-refractive laser surgery. [2]
In the United Kingdom, optometrists have to complete a 3 or 4 year undergraduate honours degree followed by a minimum of a one-year "pre-registration period" where they complete supervised practice under the supervision of an experienced qualified practitioner. During this year the pre-registration candidate are given a number of quarterly assessments and on successfully passing all of these assessments, a final one-day set of examinations. Following successful completion of these assessments and having completed one year's supervised practice, the candidate qualifies for membership of The The College of Optometrists and is eligible to register as an optometrist with the General Optical Council (GOC).
Registration with the GOC is mandatory to practice in the UK. Members of the College of Optometrists may use the suffix MCOptom.
- See also: List of optometry schools
[edit] Sub-specialities
There are currently nine sub-specialty residencies offered by various schools of optometry in the United States [3] [4]:
- Cornea and contact lenses
- Family practice optometry
- Geriatric optometry
- Glaucoma
- Low vision rehabilitation
- Ocular disease
- Pediatric optometry
- Primary care
- Refractive and ocular surgery
- Vision therapy and rehabilitation
Training in binocular vision and orthoptics sub-specialties are often integrated into either pediatric or vision therapy programs. The College of Optometrists in Vision Development provides certification for eye doctors in vision therapy, behavioral and developmental vision care, and "visual rehabilitation".[3]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] Organizations
- Association of Optometrists Ireland
- Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO)
- Comprehensive Optometry Site (AU)
- American Academy of Optometry
- American Optometric Association
- College of Optometrists (UK)
- The General Optical Council
- Optometrists Association Australia
- Canadian Association of Optometrists
[edit] Other
- Optometrists Network
- The Optician
- Review of Optometry
- Your Career in Optometry
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Optometry Page
- UK forum for optometrists & optometry profession
- Optometry opinion blog
[edit] References
