Visus writes: Genuine expertise or marketing hype?

An anonymous  writer last week questioned a “spate of new so-called qualifications” and linked this to company self-promotion. Key to the debate and what really seemed to irk the writer was the service of specialist clinics in dry eye being offered in a number of practices, and in particular the charging of “excessive” fees without differentiation of product.

Whilst he is correct that the dental hygienist arises from a formally taught qualification, in dental practice it is income generating in its own right and dental support staff are now regulated by the GDC (with increase in bureaucracy and cost). So who are we to criticise the innovation that may lead to a recognisable qualification in optical support staff ? Perhaps it would be more constructive to seek linkage between the ocular hygienist and formal clinical assistant courses offered by the SMC or similar.