Refracting rights

[Eyegirl2k7]

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I have a question...

What's going to happen to optometry if opticians get refracting rights....?

I'd like to point out I am not asking for a turf battle here...I'm just interested to know what everyone thinks. Please no "Profession A is better than Profession B"

Thanks
Eyegirl

 

[valine1212]

Here is a link to the FLorida Optician Association about refracting opticians. I know it's been a big fight over the couple years.
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http://www.pof.org/nfract.htm
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In my opinion, I think it's bad for ODs since refraction is the bread and butter of ODs. The day opticians gain refracting right is the day OD will no longer be their friends (just like the war between Ophtha.MD vs OD when OD gained the TPA privilage) There are talks about the MDs lobbying for opticians to help their fight for the refracting rights. However, I see this a yes and no situation. Some opthalmologists think they can "kill" the OD profession by letting opticians refract while protect the medical rights. However, some think the opposite way. It could eventually drive all the ODs and optometry education to be medical oriented and ophthalmologists will lose profits.

just my 2cents

 

[rpames]

It is clear the optician is capable of a refraction, they could learn to do it in a short amount of time, but I don't think it is a good idea. If patients are aloud to just get an new Rx, many ocular diseases will go unchecked. A two year degree is not good enough to give an adequate ocular pathology check, it's not even good enough to say there is something wrong and send the patient to someone else. So many illnesses show up in the eye first, opticians would miss most of them. I don't think it is good for the patient. If they are allowed to refract w/o an OD or ophth. present, ODs will starve. If you think OD are pushing for extended surgical rights now, you haven't see anything yet. If they are allowed to refract, I hope they are required to have an OD or ophth check the results and do a path check. It would be like the dentist. The optician would do what they can, but the doctor would would be right there and see every patient. This would at least help maintain some medical standards. Independent optician would hurt all of medicine. At the most, there MUST be a doctor in the building who checks every record before the patient leaves.