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Thread: refractionist certification

  1. #1
    ATO Member OPTIDONN's Avatar
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    refractionist certification

    I have seen some mention about refractionist certification. What is it? who can get it?

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    Ontario (COO) is currently cooking up some guidelines for 'standards of practice' for refraction by licensed opticians. If refraction is ever allowed - and many say it will - an optician would simply attend the post graduate refracting program at Georgian College.

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    Master OptiBoarder ikon44's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OPTIDONN
    I have seen some mention about refractionist certification. What is it? who can get it?
    In the UK the course is called Delegated functions.however the prescription still
    has to be signed off by an optometrist.
    To find out what,s happening in the UK optical market:
    http://theOptom.com

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    Master OptiBoarder ziggy's Avatar
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    Oaa

    The OAA at one time offered a refractive opticianry course. check with them.
    Paul:cheers:

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    Old Optician to New OD Aarlan's Avatar
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    What would be the legality of a Refracting Optician solely for the purpose of Fine Tuning the MD's outside RX? As long as the patient has had a EYE EXAMINATION within a set period of Time (1 year?), then what would be the harm in an Optician rerefracting to get a more accurate refraction? In this area the MDs are quite accurate, but in other areas that I have worked, many of the MD offices had astronomical redo rates (pt tries on glasses and can't see squat...send back for recheck). If we simply rerefracted in the first place before we manufactured the RX, the # of redo's theoretically would be reduced. There are some MD offices that, quite frankly, can't refract terribly well, or are too reliant on autorefractors.
    If the standard of care has been met, where the patient has had their eyes examined by a qualified health professional to ensure optimum ocular health, I don't see where a Refracting Optician poses any problems. IF however, we refract in lieu of a bonafide Examination by an OD or MD, that would constitute a big problem. But if we refract in addition to the Exam, what are their any legal ramifications? Other than the fact that the ODs would scream bloody murder about practicing Optometry without a license. But it would allow us, if we were so inclined, to reduce/eliminate remakes due to poor refracting skills of outside doctors.

    AA

  6. #6
    35yroldguy
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    I am a certified optician and I refract all the time. It is so easy!!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Aarlan
    What would be the legality of a Refracting Optician solely for the purpose of Fine Tuning the MD's outside RX? As long as the patient has had a EYE EXAMINATION within a set period of Time (1 year?), then what would be the harm in an Optician rerefracting to get a more accurate refraction? In this area the MDs are quite accurate, but in other areas that I have worked, many of the MD offices had astronomical redo rates (pt tries on glasses and can't see squat...send back for recheck). If we simply rerefracted in the first place before we manufactured the RX, the # of redo's theoretically would be reduced. There are some MD offices that, quite frankly, can't refract terribly well, or are too reliant on autorefractors.
    If the standard of care has been met, where the patient has had their eyes examined by a qualified health professional to ensure optimum ocular health, I don't see where a Refracting Optician poses any problems. IF however, we refract in lieu of a bonafide Examination by an OD or MD, that would constitute a big problem. But if we refract in addition to the Exam, what are their any legal ramifications? Other than the fact that the ODs would scream bloody murder about practicing Optometry without a license. But it would allow us, if we were so inclined, to reduce/eliminate remakes due to poor refracting skills of outside doctors.

    AA

  7. #7
    Old Optician to New OD Aarlan's Avatar
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    Yeah, but in the States (esp in CT) the Optometrists would have my head for practicing optometry w/o a license.
    If an Rx is written Distance with Add, it is not all that unusual to use trial lenses to determine how much of the add to use for various intermediate purposes (along with mathmatical calculation). Wouldn't refracting a patient after he/she visits an MD be along the same lines?

    AA

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    In North America, prescribing glasses is a controlled or restricted act. Refraction, on its own, is in the public domain. Anyone can perform it. What you do with the results of the refraction however, may be illegal.

  9. #9
    35yroldguy
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    Yes they restrict to many people wanting to do a good job. The ones (MD's) that have the license are the ones that do not appreciate the people they serve. For example, if you have a cataract in one eye a MD ophthalmologist told me do not to correct it. It will only be awhile before surgery and you would be wasting your money. That person was driving on a four lane in a very busy city and only could see stars. He went to another Dr who corrected him so he could see just a little while longer but clearly.

    Sight should be very important!

    Help is something that not to many licensed people are willing to give because it may endanger their right to practice according to misguided laws that suppossedly protects the public.

    You do not have a current RX! I have heard thaT ONE TOO MANY TIMES. It is one week over the limit. Sorry I cannot make your glasses because the guy down the street might sue me for filling an outdated RX. Bunk!!

    It is very easy to learn to refract! Of course you would need a two year education to learn all about geometric optics. It would be helpfuI!

    A ten week course and practice is all you need. Refraction is giving a test to make you see better. That is all. If they have any medical problems they need to see someone with those qualifications.


    Quote Originally Posted by Aarlan
    Yeah, but in the States (esp in CT) the Optometrists would have my head for practicing optometry w/o a license.
    If an Rx is written Distance with Add, it is not all that unusual to use trial lenses to determine how much of the add to use for various intermediate purposes (along with mathmatical calculation). Wouldn't refracting a patient after he/she visits an MD be along the same lines?

    AA

  10. #10
    Master OptiBoarder Shwing's Avatar
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    NAIT Optical Sciences

    Since 1996, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) has been offering a program for the training of opticians in the art and the science of refracting; this program is called Sight Testing.

    A two year distance delivery program, full units on such subjects as subjective refraction, objective refraction, advanced pathology, preliminary assessment, binocular vision testing, muscle balance testing, pharmacology and other subjects are taught in detail. Clinical sessions are also included.

    Successful completion earns the student a diploma (equivilent to a U.S. Associate Degree). Further, the graduate may then challenge the National Licensing examination (Canadian). While the graduate/ licensed refracting optician may not practice (yet), the certification you asked about is available.

    www.nait.ca/optical
    Shwing

  11. #11
    35yroldguy
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    In many practices in the US unlicensed persons working for MD/OD do autorefraction and actual refractions. The doctor just signs the form and that is it. After much practice it becomes easy just like almost anything else.

    Why cannot independent opticians do the same!


    Quote Originally Posted by Shwing
    Since 1996, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) has been offering a program for the training of opticians in the art and the science of refracting; this program is called Sight Testing.

    A two year distance delivery program, full units on such subjects as subjective refraction, objective refraction, advanced pathology, preliminary assessment, binocular vision testing, muscle balance testing, pharmacology and other subjects are taught in detail. Clinical sessions are also included.

    Successful completion earns the student a diploma (equivilent to a U.S. Associate Degree). Further, the graduate may then challenge the National Licensing examination (Canadian). While the graduate/ licensed refracting optician may not practice (yet), the certification you asked about is available.

    www.nait.ca/optical

  12. #12
    Underemployed Genius Jacqui's Avatar
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    I learned to refract while working for an MD. No, it is not hard, but learning the theory behind it takes time and study. While I know how to do it, I don't understand all the mechanics behind it. I would not recomend anyone doing this without lots of formal education.

    Maybe this ties in with the 4 year Opticianry course talked about in another post.

  13. #13
    35yroldguy
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    Yes a entry level person would have to have a good education. It would be a good idea to have refraction included in a four year program.

    It would be interesting if this would happen.


    Quote Originally Posted by Jacqui
    I learned to refract while working for an MD. No, it is not hard, but learning the theory behind it takes time and study. While I know how to do it, I don't understand all the mechanics behind it. I would not recomend anyone doing this without lots of formal education.

    Maybe this ties in with the 4 year Opticianry course talked about in another post.

  14. #14
    Underemployed Genius Jacqui's Avatar
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    This will happen in non-US schools first (and maybe only).

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    OptiBoardaholic
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    Refraction and opticians

    IN all AAS programs Principals of refraction is a required course it is either a 4 or 5 credit course. On top of it students get 9ABO/NCLE credits for it as well

    One college in NYC teaches Refraction ans a 2 semester CE course as well both refraction 1 and refraction 2 which is most of the OAA 100 hour refraction course

    Ed

  16. #16
    Master OptiBoarder Snitgirl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jacqui
    This will happen in non-US schools first (and maybe only).

    Sounds like a lot of people will be heading to Canada...

  17. #17
    OptiBoardaholic
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    Refraction and opticians

    How do you think the ODs got DPA and TPA certified? THe optometry schools started teaching it and optometrists took CE courses in Pharmacology. Then they asked for the right to use the knowledge they had

    We as opticians need to do things the same way..If we requitre ourselved to be better than the state requires, we can ask the state to allow us to practice what we have been trained in

    Ed

  18. #18
    Old Optician to New OD Aarlan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ed_Optician
    How do you think the ODs got DPA and TPA certified? THe optometry schools started teaching it and optometrists took CE courses in Pharmacology. Then they asked for the right to use the knowledge they had

    We as opticians need to do things the same way..If we requitre ourselved to be better than the state requires, we can ask the state to allow us to practice what we have been trained in

    Ed
    AMEN!!!!!!

    AA

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