The Future of Optometry in India Regulating optometry and defining the scope of practice for an optometrist While optometry is not recognized by the Government of India as an independent healthcare profession, the Optometry Council of India will be a self regulating body to accredit practitioners and optometry schools against a set of guidelines. Initially, the Optometry Council of India will register those with less than a four-year degree, providing mechanisms for any such candidate to reach the requisite level of skills and knowledge of a four-year trained professional. This will be achieved through the development and implementation of bridging courses and lateral entry into optometry training programs by schools and colleges of optometry. By 2020, it is envisaged that the Optometry Council will only accept new registrations from four-year qualified optometrists. With input from the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry and Indian Optometry Federation, the Optometry Council of India will develop a national system for the accreditation of optometry schools, colleges and training institutions through the implementation of a Common Minimum Optometry Curriculum and have competency skill level evaluations and assessments for each level of optometry. Registered practicing optometrists will be required to participate in continuing education courses to encounter the new challenges of changes in technology and practice spectrum. The unification of optometry: The Indian Optometry Federation India has at least 13 major state and national optometry and ophthalmic assistant associations. To achieve regulation and recognition of optometry, the profession must be represented by a single peak body to provide a common platform and united voice for optometry in India. The Indian Optometry Federation (IOF) was registered as a national body in 2011. The IOF has adopted a single nomenclature “optometrist” for all practitioners with qualifications of two or more years [Table 1]. Optometrists, ophthalmic assistants and ophthalmic officers who have 10 years of school, two years of science training, and two years of clinical placement, or higher qualifications have joined the associations and organizations that have formed the IOF. Currently, IOF has 13 member associations. The IOF is actively working on creating public awareness about optometry and its contribution to society. In addition, it is actively lobbying the government to obtain independent status for optometry in India. The IOF is also a member of VISION 2020 India and is planning to work actively with them to achieve distribution of human resources throughout the country with respect to eye care so that the goals of VISION 2020 are met. Through the IOF, the profession of optometry in India is currently making the necessary changes to establish itself as an integral part of the health system. Strategies that are being undertaken to enable this include: Defining the scope of practice of an optometrist Unification of optometry under one professional organization Advocating the regulation of the practice of optometry by the government Registration of optometry as an independent profession Building of optometric human resources and infrastructure for eye care delivery Development of a public health responsibility and rural placement strategy for undergraduate optometrists Contribution to clinical and fundamental vision science research Registering optometry as an independent health care profession Currently, optometry is considered by some to be an allied health or paramedical profession in India. Considering the primary access by the public, the skills and services provided by optometrists, and the contribution to knowledge by optometric research, optometry must be considered an independent profession and be afforded an independent government controlled council such as pharmacy and dentistry. The optometrist, being the first line of contact in eye care, must be legislated to work independently in order to provide essential eye care service across the country, detect various systemic diseases in the population and work collaboratively with ophthalmologists. Building human resources and infrastructure Optometry schools require a large cohort of skilled faculty to meet the enormous education needs. Initially, priority should be given to up-scale existing education resources, infrastructure, and educators. Currently, there are around 70–100 optometric academics in India with postgraduate qualifications, mainly Masters degrees. Increasing the number of educators with postgraduate qualifications will build the capacity of schools to produce high quality research. For optometry to establish itself in India it is important for the profession to contribute to the field of eye care through research and publication in peer reviewed journals. Publications in peer reviewed journals are a statement of independent science and knowledge. They are the public face of the profession, showcasing the work of optometry not only to other practitioners and scientists, but also to policy makers and the public. Research by optometrists facilitates sharing of new information, allowing clinicians to benefit from clinical observations and scientific discoveries. To address this, the India Vision Institute (IVI), established in October 2011 by the Brien Holden Vision Institute and LV Prasad Eye Institute, is coordinating a major business strategy to develop the necessary human resources, infrastructure, and research advancement to provide quality vision care for India and also establish a vision industry of global significance and impact. IVI has conducted workshops and forums to assist optometry colleges including the International Centre for Eye Care Education (ICEE) EyeTeach workshops, forums on refractive error, research methodology workshops and low vision awareness programs. IVI is currently providing scholarships for Indian optometrists to undertake postgraduate education in India. Developing public health responsibility and rural placement undergraduate optometry With adequate training and regulation, optometrists are able to provide comprehensive eye care in private, hospital and remote environments without supervision. As training four-year optometrists does not ensure they will practice in rural regions, it is important that any strategy for training optometrists also includes methods to recruit and retain them, including providing incentives and career systems to encourage practice in rural communities. The WHO has issued specific recommendations for the recruitment and retention of rural health professionals. Broadly, these can be grouped into three areas–education and regulatory interventions (e.g., targeting rural students for admission, and early and frequent exposure to rural practice while training), special compensation (e.g., an allowance for working in rural, remote or difficult areas, or providing housing), and management systems (including better education opportunities for those who want to pursue further studies and supportive supervision).[11] Go to: Conclusion The training and scope of practice of optometry in India has been somewhat fragmented in the past but has, in the last two years, made tremendous progress toward the establishment of a unified, standardized, and regulated profession that will meet its responsibilities for vision care, eye health, and provision of optical services to all those needing vision correction. Progress has included the formation of the IOF, the adoption of the Common Minimum Optometry Curriculum, the development and adoption of the Delhi Declaration, the commitment to a four-year degree program for all optometry registrants from 2020, and the establishment of a peer review Optometry Council of India to oversee education and educational institutions and to register optometrists. This augurs well for the elimination of the blindness and impaired vision due to uncorrected refractive error that affects 133 million Indians at a societal cost of over I$23 billion in lost productivity and for 456 million Indians requiring vision correction to go about their daily lives. Indian optometry awaits approval from the Government of India to grant an independent healthcare professional status to optometrists. This will benefit the people of India, providing eyecare services for all, regardless of their economic status or geographical location.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 14:57:58 +0000
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