Optometry in Optometry in India- India- Optom. Optom. Rajesh Wadhwa Rajesh Wadhwa M.Optom M.Optom B.Ophth.Tech.(Hons.) AIIMS B.Ophth.Tech.(Hons.) AIIMS B.Sc.(Hons.) DU B.Sc.(Hons.) DU Fellow of International Association of Contact Fellow of International Association of Contact Lens Educators (Australia) Lens Educators (Australia) PGDHRM (IGNOU) PGDHRM (IGNOU) where do we where do we stand? stand?
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Optometry in India- Optom. Rajesh Wadhwa M.Optom B.Ophth.Tech.(Hons.) AIIMS B.Sc.(Hons.) DU Fellow of International Association of Contact Lens Educators.
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B.Sc.(Hons.) DUB.Sc.(Hons.) DUFellow of International Association of Contact Lens Educators (Australia)Fellow of International Association of Contact Lens Educators (Australia)
What is the cost to What is the cost to country?country?
We can save hereWe can save hereIndia: the loss of India: the loss of productivity & economic productivity & economic burden of maintenance burden of maintenance is is over $23 billion per yearover $23 billion per year
Monetary loss is Monetary loss is not the real not the real
pain ....pain .... .... about 85% of all vision .... about 85% of all vision impairment and 75% of blindness impairment and 75% of blindness globally globally could be avoided, could be avoided, prevented or cured prevented or cured (need personnel, facilities)(need personnel, facilities)
This is where optometry is eager This is where optometry is eager to share the responsibilityto share the responsibility
We have only about 6000 surgically We have only about 6000 surgically active ophthalmologists (general active ophthalmologists (general perception)perception)
We need another professional to do We need another professional to do non-surgical work in eye-carenon-surgical work in eye-care
Answer is “Answer is “OptometristOptometrist” (we are ” (we are 40,000+)40,000+)
WHO throughWHO throughWorld Council of World Council of
OptometryOptometry Classifies Optometry as an Classifies Optometry as an independent independent
primary health-care professionprimary health-care profession And defines optometrists as And defines optometrists as 'the primary 'the primary
healthcare practitioners of the eye and healthcare practitioners of the eye and visual system who provide visual system who provide comprehensive eye and vision care, comprehensive eye and vision care, which includes refraction and which includes refraction and dispensing, the detection/diagnosis dispensing, the detection/diagnosis and management of diseases in the and management of diseases in the eye, and the rehabilitation of eye, and the rehabilitation of conditions of the visual system”conditions of the visual system”
What can optometry offer in eye care ?What can optometry offer in eye care ? What can an optometrist do to relieve What can an optometrist do to relieve
the time of ophthalmologist ?the time of ophthalmologist ? Is optometrist different from optician ?Is optometrist different from optician ? Who represents optometry in India for any Who represents optometry in India for any
policy?policy? How will society, universities, How will society, universities,
country,health care system & corporate country,health care system & corporate world benefit from growth of optometry?world benefit from growth of optometry?Next slide is a busy-
What can an optometrist What can an optometrist do as an independent do as an independent
practitioner practitioner Other fields include:Other fields include: Spectacle dispensingSpectacle dispensing Spread public Spread public
awareness about awareness about common eye common eye conditions, their conditions, their treatment and the treatment and the need for regular eye need for regular eye check-up check-up
Timely referral of Timely referral of patients where patients where medical/surgical medical/surgical intervention is intervention is required required
An optometrist..An optometrist..…….is able to deliver .is able to deliver appropriate level of appropriate level of high quality eye carehigh quality eye care from the small clinic or from the small clinic or practice in remote practice in remote region as a stand-alone region as a stand-alone vision care and eye vision care and eye health expert health expert
e.g. in my small practice of 10 new e.g. in my small practice of 10 new cases a day : We detect-by looking cases a day : We detect-by looking
at eyesat eyes
1/wk we detect a new hypertensive1/wk we detect a new hypertensive 1/wk we detect a new diabetic1/wk we detect a new diabetic 1/mth we detect glaucoma 1/mth we detect glaucoma
(3 suspect)(3 suspect) 1 in 2yrs we detect lesions at higher 1 in 2yrs we detect lesions at higher
Why is optometrist a Why is optometrist a health care professionalhealth care professional Diagnose conditions due to systemic Diagnose conditions due to systemic
diseases and refer patients to other diseases and refer patients to other health practitioners as needed.health practitioners as needed.
This integrates optometrist with This integrates optometrist with rest of health-care systemrest of health-care system
Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mauritius, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mauritius, Philippines, US, UK,Australia, Canada Philippines, US, UK,Australia, Canada are some countries where the use of are some countries where the use of diagnostic drugs is now permitted to diagnostic drugs is now permitted to qualified optometrists qualified optometrists
OptometristOptometrist does does orthoptics, investigations, orthoptics, investigations, prescribing spects, prescribing spects, contact lenses etc, also contact lenses etc, also manages minor eye-manages minor eye-ailments & runs optical ailments & runs optical outletsoutlets
OphthalmologistOphthalmologist practices medicine & practices medicine & surgery ….AND does surgery ….AND does orthoptics, refractions & orthoptics, refractions & runs optical outletsruns optical outlets
As optometry As optometry professionalsprofessionals
Our Our primary public health primary public health responsibility is to eliminate responsibility is to eliminate uncorrected refractive error uncorrected refractive error (URE).(URE).
In national interest: In national interest: It costs so It costs so much less time, money & resource much less time, money & resource to train an optometrist than to to train an optometrist than to train an ophthalmologist for non-train an ophthalmologist for non-medicinal work (e.g. Refraction, medicinal work (e.g. Refraction, contact lens, orthoptics etc) contact lens, orthoptics etc)
As optometrists- we are a As optometrists- we are a major component of major component of
solutionsolution We stand united We stand united in strength of in strength of
40,000+ to fight the problem by 40,000+ to fight the problem by getting involved in national policiesgetting involved in national policies
NO CONFUSIONNO CONFUSION: the earlier : the earlier confusion of who represents confusion of who represents “optometry” & who represents “optometry” & who represents “education in optometry” is “education in optometry” is resolvedresolved
(out of 11)(out of 11) Assisting in the development and provision Assisting in the development and provision of accessible, affordable and excellent of accessible, affordable and excellent vision care services to vision care services to all people of India – all people of India – regardless of their geographical location or regardless of their geographical location or socio-economic statussocio-economic status (public:priv=10:90) (public:priv=10:90)
Developing competent human resources in Developing competent human resources in Optometry to meet the Optometry to meet the current and futurecurrent and future eye care needs and reduce the burden of eye care needs and reduce the burden of vision impairment and blindness in India vision impairment and blindness in India (mango tree)(mango tree)
Any agency now needs to talk only to Any agency now needs to talk only to one organization regarding one organization regarding “optometry” in India“optometry” in India
Indian Optometry Indian Optometry Federation (IOF)Federation (IOF)
Education in optometryEducation in optometryASCO ASCO (Association Of Schools & Colleges Of Optometry)(Association Of Schools & Colleges Of Optometry)
Is a registered bodyIs a registered body Has membership of VISION 2020Has membership of VISION 2020 Is voice of all (40000+ optometrist)Is voice of all (40000+ optometrist) Is working towards partnership with Is working towards partnership with
Govt., NGOs and international Govt., NGOs and international agencies to standardize & regulate agencies to standardize & regulate optometryoptometry
Is committed to Delhi DeclarationIs committed to Delhi Declaration
NPCBNPCBIn India A In India A National National Programme for Programme for control of control of Blindness was Blindness was started in 1975 started in 1975 with the motto with the motto that that
‘‘OneOne of the basic of the basic Human rights is Human rights is the right to see,the right to see,……”……”
Australia Australia 12.5 3.312.5 3.3 Canada Canada 10.26 3.310.26 3.3 U.K U.K 13.27 1.0613.27 1.06 New Zealand New Zealand 10 210 2 USA USA 10.99 5.710.99 5.7 India India 0.65 2 0.65 2 Ratio for 100000 people (per 0.1mill)Ratio for 100000 people (per 0.1mill) (source Dr.Hofstetter in WCO monthly (source Dr.Hofstetter in WCO monthly
OPTOMETRISTS to OPTOMETRISTS to OPHTHALMOLOGISTSOPHTHALMOLOGISTS
Blindness Blindness New Zealand= blind: popu= 0.003 per millNew Zealand= blind: popu= 0.003 per mill India= blind: popu =0.012 per millIndia= blind: popu =0.012 per mill India has 4 times more blind per mill.India has 4 times more blind per mill.
Countries Countries Optometrists Ophthalmologists Optometrists Ophthalmologists
New Zealand (Pop 4.4mil)New Zealand (Pop 4.4mil) 10 10 22
India (Pop 1210mil) India (Pop 1210mil) 0.65 0.65 2 2 Ratio for 100000 people (per 0.1mill)Ratio for 100000 people (per 0.1mill)
Universities: Time line Universities: Time line (IOF)(IOF)
Our internal timeline target=No Our internal timeline target=No university will offer less than 4 year university will offer less than 4 year course in optometry by 2020 course in optometry by 2020 (grandfather (grandfather clause till then)clause till then)
Draft Common-minimum optometry Draft Common-minimum optometry curriculum & bridge courses to curriculum & bridge courses to upgrade 2 year diploma to 4 year upgrade 2 year diploma to 4 year degree is degree is readyready
Several universities are now accepting Several universities are now accepting lateral entrylateral entry
India Vision Institute India Vision Institute (IVI) (IVI) inaugurated on oct.18,2011inaugurated on oct.18,2011
Task force set up to look into Task force set up to look into optimizing existing human optimizing existing human resources and developing resources and developing new professionalsnew professionals
An enthusiastic plan for the An enthusiastic plan for the development of optometry & development of optometry & vision industry over 5 yearsvision industry over 5 years Develop human resourcesDevelop human resources Ensure fundamental infrastructure Ensure fundamental infrastructure
is in placeis in place Establishing professional and Establishing professional and
regulatory framework for regulatory framework for optometryoptometry
Opportunity for the Opportunity for the industryindustry
The global vision and eye care industry The global vision and eye care industry is worth approximately $89 billion in is worth approximately $89 billion in retail product salesretail product sales
$180 billion including professional fees$180 billion including professional fees India’s vision industry sits at a modest India’s vision industry sits at a modest
1% of the world’s consumption and is 1% of the world’s consumption and is valued at $5 billion at the retail levelvalued at $5 billion at the retail level
Yet India has 17% of the world’s Yet India has 17% of the world’s populationpopulation
PartnershipPartnership between between Educational institutions + Educational institutions + optometry + corporate optometry + corporate world will lead to a win-win world will lead to a win-win situation for all three & also situation for all three & also for the country,hospitals & for the country,hospitals & societysociety
Indian optometrists are Indian optometrists are no less on international no less on international
standardsstandards 44 out of 253 44 out of 253 FIACLEFIACLE s in world are s in world are herehere
Lot of international Lot of international researchresearch (esp. (esp. CCLRU/BHVI, LVPE) is done by Indian CCLRU/BHVI, LVPE) is done by Indian optometristsoptometrists
Our optometrist has received a Our optometrist has received a PadmasreePadmasree
We hold a national/international We hold a national/international conferenceconference every year every year
As As facultyfaculty in foreign universities…… in foreign universities……
Regulation through a councilRegulation through a council
We require support from the We require support from the Government to form a Council.Government to form a Council.
Meanwhile, in the interim period, Meanwhile, in the interim period, we are in the process of we are in the process of creating a creating a self-regulatory body self-regulatory body that will act as a council.that will act as a council.
When optometry in India will When optometry in India will have similar place as in have similar place as in developed countries like developed countries like Australia & USAAustralia & USA
The country needs Optometry The country needs Optometry &&
Optometrists Optometrists stand ready & stand ready & motivated to motivated to
meet the meet the challenge ofchallenge ofRight to SightRight to Sight