Just for those of you that aren't aware, large areas of the planet do not have optometrists. Yet oddly we dont hear about a bunch of blind people walking around. And I don't mean rural Africa. I mean up-to-date places like the United Kingdom and most of Europe.
From Wikipedia:
"... in Germany, optometric tasks are performed by ophthalmologists and professionally trained and certified opticians."
" In France, there is no regulatory framework and optometrists are sometimes trained by completing an apprenticeship at an ophthalmologists' private office.
In Argentina- Anyone holding a Bachelor's degree may register as an optometrist after completing a written exam.
In Australia, Ireland, Russia and Columbia, Spain and others optometry is a bachelors degree only.
I'm sure there are more. Which leads me to my question:
WHY DO WE NEED DOCTORS OF OPTOMETRY HERE WHEN MOST OF THE WORLD DOES JUST FINE WITH OPHTHALMOLOGIST AND OPTICIANS? Just something to think about.
Could it simply be that a bunch of guys needed a job back in early 1900's and decided to measure eye glass prescriptions and then paid legislators over the ten decades to create a made up profession and expanded it over the years? Just saying...........
* Of course, most of those bachelors degree optometrist do not practice full-scope optometry care like we do here in the states (ie. no diagnosic or dilation drops and treatment eye drops).
From Wikipedia:
"... in Germany, optometric tasks are performed by ophthalmologists and professionally trained and certified opticians."
" In France, there is no regulatory framework and optometrists are sometimes trained by completing an apprenticeship at an ophthalmologists' private office.
In Argentina- Anyone holding a Bachelor's degree may register as an optometrist after completing a written exam.
In Australia, Ireland, Russia and Columbia, Spain and others optometry is a bachelors degree only.
I'm sure there are more. Which leads me to my question:
WHY DO WE NEED DOCTORS OF OPTOMETRY HERE WHEN MOST OF THE WORLD DOES JUST FINE WITH OPHTHALMOLOGIST AND OPTICIANS? Just something to think about.
Could it simply be that a bunch of guys needed a job back in early 1900's and decided to measure eye glass prescriptions and then paid legislators over the ten decades to create a made up profession and expanded it over the years? Just saying...........
* Of course, most of those bachelors degree optometrist do not practice full-scope optometry care like we do here in the states (ie. no diagnosic or dilation drops and treatment eye drops).
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