Comment: All things come to those who wait

Optometry took a giant step forward on Tuesday.

Neatly nestled in between the bank holiday weekend and the start of the school year was an announcement of independent prescribing rights for optometrists.

So much has been said about the forthcoming elevation of drug prescribing rights for optoms that it would be easy to think the decision had already been made.

But it hadn't, and it is only as of Tuesday that optometrists really do have it in their power to set themselves apart from fellow practitioners. By completing additional education and attaining specialist registration, optometrists can move into a new sphere of practice to interact and serve the public on a completely new level.