Optometrist doing lasik or cataract surgery

[a_student]

do you believe optometrists will be able to do these procedures in the future?

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[rpames]

Although I understand why you are asking this question, I don't think this is a thread we want to start. It will just get ugly...fast.

 

[bigred]

I don't want to do surgery and that is why I chose optometry over opthalmology. The dean at IU said he does not see it in the future due to the increased malpractice insurance, the cost of the equiptment, and an addition to the optometric education could not compare to the education an opthalmologist receives therfore patients would choose an opthalmologist. Think about it, it would be very hard to get the training even if it were legal to do surgery since MD's compete for graduate training in opthalmolgy.

 

[JG777]

do you believe optometrists will be able to do these procedures in the future?

i personally don't think so. i believe the main role of optometrists is to be the gatekeeper and primary providers of health care, who monitors the health of the eye. and when they see something that's out of their range of care, such as surgery, they refer out to omd's.

and i also believe that this thread will turn ugly.

 

[Kristene9]

Ya I don’t see the need for Optometrist to perform surgeries like these. I was talking to a professor at UHCO and there really isn't a need for more people to do lasik, the market is pretty full. The community doesn't really need any more. I think its a good point that if a person had to decide between an ophthalmology and an optometry, I would probably say I would go to the ophthalmology for lasik. So if surgery is your thing- you shouldn't be going into optometry

Also I think the fact that optometrist have SOO little malpractice insurance is a REAL blessing! I've heard sooo many complains from doctors and insurance will probably keep going up.

Does anyone know if the bill about optometrist not practicing in the VA's passed?? I thought I saw a thing that said it did - in which case that would be real sad

 

[cpw]

it's not about practicing in the VA.. it's about surgical procedures. (but surgical procedures also includes foreign body removal, punctal plugs, epilation, etc)

 

[mdkurt]

it's not about practicing in the VA.. it's about surgical procedures. (but surgical procedures also includes foreign body removal, punctal plugs, epilation, etc)

I haven't looked at the actual wording, but I believe the issue specifically dealt with laser use and that foreign body removal, punctal plugs, and epilation are still OK.

 

[cpw]

I haven't looked at the actual wording, but I believe the issue specifically dealt with laser use and that foreign body removal, punctal plugs, and epilation are still OK.

You might be right.... there have been multiple bill in the past year. I'm losing track of which one we're on. I think they took out epilation, plugs, FB removal, etc from the last bill.

 

[hoosier1]

a student,

If you're interested in doing surgery, you should target in getting into med school.

 

[kartikji]

do you believe optometrists will be able to do these procedures in the future?

I doubt that OD will be able to do surgery in the future. Just how many opticians want to refract OD's want to do surgery but the MD's will not allow that. A MD has 4 yrs of med school and 5 years residency and speciality to become an opthamoligist, they will not give up surgery that easily to OD's

 

[Bravehrt]

Surgery in optometry is a touchy issue. There are a few reasons why optometry’s scope should not delve into these invasive procedures. Firstly, in order for optometrist to legitimately do surgery, a defining characteristic distinguishing optometrists and ophthalmologists, then optometrist would require the same education. Then, it becomes less clear why there is a need for optometry schools if the necessary education is in medical schools. Secondly, in the same way we would be upset about opticians doing refraction, ophthalmologists should be upset if optometrist doing surgery. However, there are potential consequences of deciding not to be part of new surgery procedures.
In choosing to limit the scope of optometry to non- surgical procedure, the profession encounters some potential problems. Firstly, the future of eye care may lead to much simpler surgery technology that may make many current procedures surgery procedures cheaper and safer. This will be very appealing to the public whom believe current procedures are costly and/or not refined enough. Remember that every profession needs to fill a need in society. In order for optometry to continue to fill the needs of the community it must be providing the progressive and latest technological medical devices and at least some new procedures. What if in the future, those new procedures are mostly surgical? Secondly, remember that optometry was a drugless profession, but now pharmaceutical agents are necessary tools in many optometrists’ clinics. The fact that optometrists have this privilege is due to a fight to expand their scope. To what extent do we draw the line? Surgery is a tough issue but optometrists and ophthalmologists should know support from both sides. Its an issue that is sadly a strong site of conflict and ultimately regression
However in the end, politics and legislation should not cloud the main reason optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians got into these professions; to help the patient. We should really be helping and communicating with one another in order to provide the best quality eye care. Let ophthalmologists critique optometrists! From it optometrist will only strive to become better…. Not for money, not for pride, not for our profession, but for the patient.

 

[cpw]

well said,bravehrt

 

[foreseen]

Does this still stand? I thought there are some procedures that optometrists can perform. I was under the impression that optometry's scope of practice will have to keep getting bigger in order to save the profession from retail chains. I would love for optometry to stay how it is, with low malpractice insurance but if opticians can do refraction, and with new equipment that makes the practice of refraction much less time consuming, how are we going to make a living?

I know that optometrists do pre and post operative care, some diagnoses,
and prescription of drugs. But with three different groups of people (ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians) doing refraction (the largest part of the job for most optometrists), I'm starting to believe the field might actually be getting flooded. I'm afraid if we don't expand our scope, all optometrists will either be sidekicks for ophthalmologist or going out of business. While walmart recruits an army of opticians to take care of most refractions and maybe even diagnostics needs.

Somebody please tell me I'm worng and a complete dimwit for even worrying about this.

Surgery in optometry is a touchy issue. There are a few reasons why optometry’s scope should not delve into these invasive procedures. Firstly, in order for optometrist to legitimately do surgery, a defining characteristic distinguishing optometrists and ophthalmologists, then optometrist would require the same education. Then, it becomes less clear why there is a need for optometry schools if the necessary education is in medical schools. Secondly, in the same way we would be upset about opticians doing refraction, ophthalmologists should be upset if optometrist doing surgery. However, there are potential consequences of deciding not to be part of new surgery procedures.
In choosing to limit the scope of optometry to non- surgical procedure, the profession encounters some potential problems. Firstly, the future of eye care may lead to much simpler surgery technology that may make many current procedures surgery procedures cheaper and safer. This will be very appealing to the public whom believe current procedures are costly and/or not refined enough. Remember that every profession needs to fill a need in society. In order for optometry to continue to fill the needs of the community it must be providing the progressive and latest technological medical devices and at least some new procedures. What if in the future, those new procedures are mostly surgical? Secondly, remember that optometry was a drugless profession, but now pharmaceutical agents are necessary tools in many optometrists’ clinics. The fact that optometrists have this privilege is due to a fight to expand their scope. To what extent do we draw the line? Surgery is a tough issue but optometrists and ophthalmologists should know support from both sides. Its an issue that is sadly a strong site of conflict and ultimately regression
However in the end, politics and legislation should not cloud the main reason optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians got into these professions; to help the patient. We should really be helping and communicating with one another in order to provide the best quality eye care. Let ophthalmologists critique optometrists! From it optometrist will only strive to become better…. Not for money, not for pride, not for our profession, but for the patient.

 

[KHE]

I'm glad that this 5 year old thread was resurrected. We haven't had one of "these" threads in a while.

 

[362.04]

Hurry, someone close this thread!