What do you think?

[ziggy]

I have just been reading the posts on the future of the Optician here in the U.S. and was just wondering if you guys in other countries have some of the same problems that we are having. If so what are you doing about it,,, if not what are you doing diffrent? Thanks for you time and your response. Paul

[Sara]

In Kenya the profession of optician is not regulated and any tom dick & harry can open up an optical store.Now a days I see spectacle frames along with sunshades being sold on the streets by vendors and plano coloured contact lenses(mostly freshlooks) in pharmacies variety shops,stationers & beauty salons!
Tell any layman(but educated) in Kenyan "optometry" and he thinks you are greeting him in one of Kenyan tribal languages.
Optician,eye doctor(MD)or layman who runs optical shop are all respectfully addressed as Daktari(Dr)in Kenya.I believe it is so in many poor third world countries.Nobody has time here to even think of regulating our profession.
You Guys in north are much more lucky.
Sara

[John R]

Originally posted by Sara:
In Kenya the profession of optician is not regulated and any tom dick & harry can open up an optical store.


Well its just the same here in the UK so you dont need to worry about that. Anybody can dispence too but eye tests must be done by an optician though some are using the auto's to pre test and save time.


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Every day a grind
Every week a bind
www.iooi.co.uk (http://www.iooi.co.uk)

[Sara]

Hello Mr.John R

I note with sadness that in an advanced & lawful country like UK, opticians are not regulated.
Form an association and present your health minister reasons for importance of optical profession to be regulated.Explain that a lay person does not understand precision of dispensing,he does not understand panto/retroscopic adjustments,anisometropia & differential prismatic effects,frame materials suitability etc.
We recently had a case in Kenya where an elder person died of tetanus infection he got from wearing a rusted metallic frame.
Would a qualified optician sell cheap quality metal frame to older person whose skins are very fragile?
We opticians must join hands to hands from all parts of the world to get our profession regulated & recognised globally.If we don't do it now, not in too distant, we will see ourselves extinct.
One day a visiting ophthalmologist to our clinic remarked that"with invention of photo refractive surgeries,opticians will end up selling sunglasses. To that I replied; when auto-refractors came MDs were talking about end of optometry,but on contrary optometrist have gained more grounds over ophthalmologist and in some States I believe optometrist are allowed to do photo-refractive surgeries.
So please you and Maria & other opticians in UK work hard to get our profession due recognition.If you can't do there how can you expect me to apply it here.
My request to all Opticians wherever they are,let us all come together to help each other and stand out as health care professionals.
Once I qualify,I will come to you people for help in assisting me getting optical profession regulated in Kenya.
That's all for now.
Sara

[David Wilson]

Hi Sara,
I wish you luck with your efforts to have opticians registered in Kenya. I run a course for opticians in Australia and New Zealand and have just spent the last week at an International Opticians Association conference here in Sydney. One of the issues our association has addressed over the years has been deregulation and we have fought a few battles over the years. In the state of New South Wales in Australia (where Sydney is the state capital) we still have licensing, despite a move to deregulate in the early 1990s. I still have copies of our submissions and would be happy to share them with you if they may be of some help.
Regards
David Wilson

[Sara]

Dear David,

I commend you for the good work you did for cause of opticians in Australia.Keep it up!
Please email me your submissions which may help me for the same reasons.
Many Thanks,
Sara

[chip anderson]

As Mississippi is an unlicensed state I am beginning to run into some problems with third parties, i.e. insurance companies and medicare/medicaid getting even more reluctant to pay for prosthetic eyes.

I think there is a move afoot amoung O.D.'s and M.D.'s (which are licensed) to corner the market though the back door.

Chip

[ziggy]

Chip, I never thought about it,, but your right!!!! Thank you all for your responses, I dont know what's worse,, being regulated and having to deal with the junk that goes with that or having to deal with every (in Sara's words) Tom, Dick and Harry selling eyeware.

[Jackie L]

I agree with Chip. As an independent, in Maine, there are many insurances and HMO's we are NOT able to participate in. We try to match the plan or offer a discount to our customers. The tough part is.......getting the word out before they are led (or misled) into the O's dispensary. Just how I see it from here.

Jackie O

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Still a Maina for now

[ziggy]

Jackie-O and Chip, here in Ky Medi-cade is the only insurance (that I've found) that we can participate in. Thank goodness it can be at least some what profitable. What about you guys?