Ophthalmologist Professor Roger Buckley announced the move during his presidential address to the association last week. In his address, 'Treating eye disease Ð a prescription for change', he discussed the extension of drug prescribing rights to UK optometrists and presented examples of clinical guidelines drawn up by the College of Optometrists and City University for the management and referral of anterior eye conditions.
Professor Buckley told a large audience at the Institute of Physics in London that it was 'entirely appropriate' to speak on this subject at this time. 'We are in a time of enormous change in the health service Ð the NHS is effectively re-inventing itself. Since the Bristol [heart surgery] inquiry and the Government's response to it, there has been tremendous impetus to establish a primary care-led service.
'The BCLA wishes to respond to that. It represents Ð uniquely Ð all aspects, all professions involved in contact lens fitting, research, medicine and manufacturing. It has recognised it must move with the times and should consider widening, to some extent, its scope of interest. It is our plan to keep abreast of the movements into primary care of optometrists, and particularly into prescribing.'
But Professor Buckley stressed that a wider remit for the BCLA would not only be aimed at optometrists. 'Everything I've said about optometrists could, should and will eventually apply to dispensing opticians, to some degree. The strength of the association is its ability to integrate all interests,' he said.
The BCLA Council has agreed to send a questionnaire to all members inviting their response to the proposal, which may then be debated at a special meeting or at the AGM held during its clinical conference.The British Contact Lens Association is to survey its members on a possible widening of its remit to include the management of anterior eye disease and therapeutics.
Ophthalmologist Professor Roger Buckley announced the move during his presidential address to the association last week. In his address, 'Treating eye disease Ð a prescription for change', he discussed the extension of drug prescribing rights to UK optometrists and presented examples of clinical guidelines drawn up by the College of Optometrists and City University for the management and referral of anterior eye conditions.
Professor Buckley told a large audience at the Institute of Physics in London that it was 'entirely appropriate' to speak on this subject at this time. 'We are in a time of enormous change in the health service Ð the NHS is effectively re-inventing itself. Since the Bristol [heart surgery] inquiry and the Government's response to it, there has been tremendous impetus to establish a primary care-led service.
'The BCLA wishes to respond to that. It represents Ð uniquely Ð all aspects, all professions involved in contact lens fitting, research, medicine and manufacturing. It has recognised it must move with the times and should consider widening, to some extent, its scope of interest. It is our plan to keep abreast of the movements into primary care of optometrists, and particularly into prescribing.'
But Professor Buckley stressed that a wider remit for the BCLA would not only be aimed at optometrists. 'Everything I've said about optometrists could, should and will eventually apply to dispensing opticians, to some degree. The strength of the association is its ability to integrate all interests,' he said.
The BCLA Council has agreed to send a questionnaire to all members inviting their response to the proposal, which may then be debated at a special meeting or at the AGM held during its clinical conference.
The British Contact Lens Association is to survey its members on a possible widening of its remit to include the management of anterior eye disease and therapeutics.