I would like to hear folks' opinions on the current situation that the OD's are facing. I am hoping for some thoughtful responses and not typical knee-jerk reactions to talking about the other O's.
This first link leads to an article in the AAO's EyeNet magazine:"Do optometrists "know their place"? Do ophthalmologists? This harsh question is an intentionally confrontational alarm. Some of our colleagues have pushed the "snooze button." They have rolled over and turned their backs on patients and medical colleagues–by going beyond comanagement of refractive surgery and cataract patients."
The article goes on to say that an OD exam and an MD exam are not the same creatures, OD's may refer patients to the wrong specialists, OD's are practicing Ophthalmology and patients can't tell the difference between and OD and an MD and may be confused.
This second article appears to be an Optometric response to the first article. It is from Jobson's Review Of Optometry:"'If you think the single issue on their minds is comanagement, you’re fooling yourselves. This is the beginning of a total dismantling of what we’ve gained over the last 20 years.' He suggests that some ophthalmologists are joining forces with opticians to take away optometrists’ bread-and-butter: refraction."
This actually sounds a bit like some Opticians do. The article basically talks a bit about Ophthalmology's attempt to control the scope of Optometric practice through the court systems instead of legislation, the organization of Ophthalmology versus actual working relationships with local MD's, the AMA's support of MD's and specific issues relating to legislation in Florida.
It sounds like Optometry has as many parties working against it as Opticianry does. I thought Optometry was a highly organized area of practice; why are OD's having such a hard time keeping the ground they've gained? I don't necessarilly agree with the MD's opinions of OD exams; what are your opinions?
Any thoughts on the two articles folks?
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