World Optometry Week 2024 took place on March 17-23 and highlighted the importance of the profession for addressing the growing prevalence of eye health problems.
It noted that optometry worked towards achieving better access, affordability, equity and equality for eye health and vision care as human rights.
Dr Sandra Block, president of the World Council of Optometry (WCO), said World Optometry Week was an opportunity to share the importance of taking care of your eyes with the public and show how optometry was doing that.
She also highlighted the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Eye Care Competency Framework, which was designed to describe the competencies needed at all levels of eye care, as one of the steps forward for the profession.
‘The WCO has furthered the focus on competencies by developing an updated curriculum framework, which serves to describe in detail the domains that every optometrist would have covered in their professional education with the expectation of lifelong learning,’ Dr Block said.
The WCO’s framework sought to harmonise the optometry profession and enhance optometric education globally. The body also said it marked a significant milestone in advancing eye health worldwide and outlined how to engage effectively in the international eye care agenda.
Professor Peter Hendicott, immediate past president at the WCO, said: ‘Optometry needs to be prepared to participate in multiple roles within health systems and to work with others in the delivery of care. The competencies described in the framework give optometry the opportunity to participate widely, potentially in leadership roles in teams.’
Skills for care
The WCO said it was inspired to create the framework after recent reports outlined the challenges facing eye care and the impact of vision impairment on the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Adequately trained and qualified eye care professionals were required to address increased uncorrected refractive error and the associated eye diseases that could cause sight loss, the WCO highlighted.
The WCO’s new model sought to better prepare optometrists to meet these demands by outlining five competency domains, each with a list of outcomes expected for graduates to have when they enter the optometric profession.
The five competencies were refractive error, visual function assessment, ocular health and ocular diseases, public health and professional practice.
‘We have the chance to work in a broader scope, different roles in eye care, and potentially in leadership roles in teams of people delivering eye care.
'It puts optometry in a position where it is able to participate more broadly, but importantly, it also demonstrates to people who are looking at their health system, what skills optometrists have and can bring to better delivery of care,’ Prof Hendicott added.
The framework was designed to demonstrate a minimum scope of practice and would help build the pathway to legislation to protect the public. It also defined who optometrists were, what they can do and how they can support in meeting the future demands of eye care, the WCO added.
Presbyopia partnership
During World Optometry Week, EssilorLuxottica and the WCO announced a partnership to establish a global standard of care for presbyopia and the ageing eye.
The partnership sought to raise awareness and understanding of the condition and support eye care professionals with evidence-based scientific approaches, tools and resources.
EssilorLuxottica and the WCO said it was estimated there would be four billion people in the world living with presbyopia by 2050 and patients could expect to experience a vision intervention for approximately half of their lifespan.
They said these changes highlighted the importance of effectively evaluating, measuring and managing presbyopia among patients, particularly as it will likely have an impact on their daily activities and quality of life.
Olga Prenat, head of medical and professional affairs at Essilor-Luxottica, said: ‘Through this programme, I am certain that we will raise the global conversation around presbyopia and together make an even greater impact by providing a standard of care to manage the condition, but also providing the resources and support needed to help eye care professionals improve patient outcomes.’
Tools and resources created as part of the initiative will be published on EssilorLuxottica’s Leonardo learning platform and the WCO’s microsite.
