Verum writes: Call to action offers positive future

Having attended my local ‘call to action for improving eye health and sight loss’ event,  I can report it was an excellent format to prompt discussion, and an evening that will have inspired attendees that optometric involvement in eye health has a very positive future. I say this judging by the commonality of ideas supporting optometry put forward from a representatives of all professions and commissioners involved in eye health. 

Not surprisingly the central theme in most discussions on the evening was that patients did not have to be seen by ophthalmologists in hospital, but could be seen in alternative settings by professionals with the appropriate competencies.  Clearly this gives a big tick in the box for optometry and it was significant that this line of thought did not come only from optometrists, but from everyone in the room.   The advantages of this differed according to your standpoint.  The ophthalmologists appreciated they have too much to do already, commissioners could see savings in money and optometrists wanted to get involved in a greater variety to work.  Interestingly few commented it would be more convenient for the patient.     From everyone there was an understanding that this would require additional training for optometrists and also addressing technology issues, such as electronic records and email.