An Optometrist's Third World Initiative

[Kevin J. Count]

You make a very good point and I don't think it needs to necessarily revolve around optometrists. I guess I should more correctly refer to it as an "eye care" system...one that involves TRAINED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, NOT SEAMSTRESSES PLAYING THE PART OF DOCTORS.

I think in these countries it's "take what you can get", so if it's regular physicians or even their equivalent of PAs or NPs as long as they have a healthcare background and reasonably extensive eye specific training it should be adequate even if they're merely acting as refractionists doing medical triage because they would have established examination protocols and the appropriate inroads for referrals.

Steve, isn't that an educated refracting optician?

[Steven Nelson]

Steve, isn't that an educated refracting optician?

Educated in what?

I'm talking about people with backgrounds in medical care learning refraction as part of an approach to delivering medical eye care, not being skilled in the selection and fabrication of ophthalmic lenses/spectacles which is where your education lies. Not beating up your education, just saying that it has nothing to do with medical care. It's OK, neither does my attorney or accountant but it makes them no less important.