Chris Bennett: Standing up for our interests

Trade associations often get a bad press, not least in this column, but Optician is happy to give credit where credit is due.

This week Optician is pleased to report on the Optical Confederation’s efforts to not only actively tackle a problem for the profession but try to head it off at the pass.

It’s often the smallest things in life that throw the biggest spanner in the works when they go wrong and such is the long running saga of fluorescein strips.

While I would wager that mention of F strips has sapped people’s interest I urge you to read on. This tale may include EU directives, working groups and medical device classifications but it could see a vital tool used in contact lens fitting disappear from optical practice. Contact lens fitters can sleep easy in their beds. Optical bodies are paid to focus on such dull detail so the fitters don’t have to. Ann Blackmore and David Hewlett at the Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians deserve credit and other organisations should take note.