OOs left to decide own CL needs

The General Optical Council has ruled out any early move to introduce compulsory contact lens CET for optometrists who fit contact lenses.

An Optician/ACLM survey (01.05.09) revealed that nearly half of all optometrists fitting contact lenses undertake contact lens CET only occasionally, once or twice a year at most, and 17 per cent failed to state how often they took part.

Asked whether any further changes, either voluntary or compulsory, were expected in relation to CL CET for optometrists, the GOC told Optician: 'Contact lens competencies are part of the core competencies for optometry, therefore this would not be considered as a future speciality.'