Optometrists see need for better laws

In an interview last Friday, president of the TT Optometrists Association (TTOA) Nigel St Rose said legislation only allows optometrists to be trained up to level two although many optometrists educated abroad have training up to levels three and four.

The TTOA has been lobbying for updating of the legislation governing the field of optometry because it has limited their functions. They cannot perform some diagnostic tests which they were trained and certified to do.

At its annual delegates meeting last year, the World Council of Optometry approved the Global Competency Based Model which outlines the scope of practice of optometrists.

The four levels are:

* optical technology service

* assessment and rehabilitation of the visual function

* ocular diagnostic services

* ocular therapeutic services.

“If we intend to have an optometry programme that is world class we have to look at teaching people to level four,” St Rose said.

He added that in countries such as Canada, the US, England and New Zealand, optometrists were trained and allowed to practice to level four. He said TT should move in this direction.

St Rose attended the first World Conference on Optometric Education (WCOE) in Milan, Italy hosted by the European Council of Optometry and Optics early last month. The theme of the meeting was “Expanding Educational Resources: The Challenge of Vision 2020.” In 1999, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched an international campaign Vision 2020 — The Right to Sight, which aims to defeat avoidable blindness within 2020. The WCOE has set the aim of fighting avoidable blindness in the world through developing human resources, enhancing education and the availability of technologies, infrastructure and funds in the world.

The World Council of Optometry has said 80 percent of avoidable blindness of pathologic origin were caused by - cataract, trachoma, onchocercosis and infantile blindness.

A release from the World Council of Optometry said blindness is primarily fought through the medical prevention of ocular pathologies delivered by ophthalmologists all over the world.

However, it said a condition of blindness can also be caused by uncorrected refractive error being fought through the contribution and cooperation of the international optometric community.