Opticians in BC are a disgrace.

[design786]

Well folks, a little update on whats going on in BC. It seems as if the BCAO has completed a very basic study on opticians and sight testing. Of course this might have been going on prior to deregulation of BC, but nevertheless it clearly shows the opticians role in providing eye care services. Moreover, this may become the standard in the future.

A brief example:

Martina Gerrath, 73, Victoria
Health Risk: Incorrect prescription, complicated by glaucoma and cataracts

Martina Gerrath, 73, of Victoria, is a candidate for glaucoma and cataracts, so she visits her ophthalmologist every six months to keep a close watch on the health of her eyes. During one such visit, her ophthalmologist said she needed a new prescription. Unfortunately, shortly after her exam, she broke her frames. She visited the optical store to have them fixed. Because of the poor condition of her frames, an employee there suggested she should get new glasses. Gerrath hadn’t brought a
prescription with her from her optometrist, Dr. Steve Taylor, but the optical store employee suggested she didn’t need to – they could do a sight test and make the glasses. When Gerrath tried the new glasses on, she couldn’t see through them. The optical store redid the sight test, producing the same results as before. The glasses were useless. Furthermore, she had to go to great lengths to get her money refunded. More importantly, a woman of her age, and with her eye conditions and history, should never have been considered for a sight test. In fact, the College of Opticians’ own standards of practice for the use of auto-refractors/automated systems had been ignored.

I was unable to attach the .pdf file because these forums would not let me, however, I was able to capture a snapshot of the .pdf file detailing the first two pages of the study. The last two pages of the study as well as the full study itself has been changed to .txt format, so that it can be uploaded here.

[For-Life]

Opticians in BC are a disgrace?

You want to separate people from the law? Why is every single Optician in BC disgraceful?

[design786]

Opticians in BC are a disgrace?

You want to separate people from the law? Why is every single Optician in BC disgraceful?

Honestly, I am shocked that you are critiquing my thread title/my opinion (which is further fortified by the case study done by BCAO), instead of the case study itself.

What else can one expect on Optiboard!?

[For-Life]

Your thread title is offensive to the honest, ethical Opticians working in BC. If you want to criticize some BC opticians who perform certain acts, then do so. But do not paint every BC Optician with the same brush.

[ex-optician]

We can find bad examples in every profession. To cast a shadow on all BC opticians is plain ignorance. Your judgement is obviously clouded by some form of prejudice.

[kws6000]

I have to agree,that not all opticians are a disgrace in BC,and it really isnt fair to the decent ones to lump them in that category.

[eyemanflying]

The title is rather offensive and one should never paint all with the same brush as that is unfair, unreasonable and unwarranted without claim. As Forrest Gump would say.."Stupid is as stupid does".

Now, as for my comments; perhaps this claim is more evident and supports the case in having unity between OD's and Opticians. I've said it a million times - it is in the best public interest to have the two O's work together unrestricted and provides the best service to the patient. Clearly, deep down inside OD's should just stick to refracting and leave the dispensing to a qualified professional...an Optician, not themselves or an OA.

I have had the pleasure (or displeasure) over the years to work with multiple OD's. As mentioned below, there are both good and bad in all professions and unfortunately always will be, but one can never assume that all are equal...that's a very narrow minded, uneducated comment.

[idispense]

One can make the statement that events emanating in B.C. are and have been a disgrace to opticians everywhere, including their respective regulatory bodies and associations.

[hcjilson]

It is interesting to note that the publication cited above is from an Optometric society. I didn't see any official documentation with these case studies which leads me to doubt their veracity. Who has an ax to grind concerning the refracting Optician? The answer is quite obvious to even the casual observer.

I am not necessarily saying that the cited cases didn't happen, I am saying they lack documentation which reduces it's conclusions to "he said, she said" I cannot believe that refracting Opticians are unique in missed diagnosis, as someone pointed out earlier in this thread.

[uncut]

Honestly, I am shocked that you are critiquing my thread title/my opinion (which is further fortified by the case study done by BCAO), instead of the case study itself.

What else can one expect on Optiboard!?

If you are indeed an eyecare PROFESSIONAL, (which I now personally doubt), you would expect that your information/opinion would be scrutinized. I will read your submission with great care, and scrutiny....expect an opinion. This is, afterall' a discussion forum.

My initial observation, is that this seems to be a news release, but I do not see it on the "important" website. Hmmmm.... I also note that the last case study on page 4 didn't have anything to do with a Canadian optician, but the Korean ECP system.

[design786]

Instead of taking responsibility, I see posters, who are Opticians I suppose, derailing the topic of this thread to make themselves look innocent by pointing fingers at my personal opinion. Most docs have negative things to say about opticians because when we see reports like this, it is insulting to us as primary optometric physicians since WE have to deal with a case that should have been diagnosed and treated earlier on.

I agree that all professions have some bad apples, per se, but this case study is of great magnitude. A man was nearly blinded, directly due to the optician, and as such, I hold strong to my original opinion re: majority of opticians.

[HarryChiling]

Of those case studies many of them had incorrect prescription listed, I have seen many incorrect prescriptions in my day and I have never lived near a sight tester. BC should roll back on the years though 25 years between a health check is extreme. If a patient has a health check at 19 they can have refractions performed until they are 40, or 21 years and then they can continue until they are 65 which is another 25 years. Maybe this should be scaled back some. Other than that I like the expansion of scope your consistency in education has earned you the right to refract be proud of it and if you know of any of the cases like mentioned above in the case histories please report them to your college and make sure they can not continue to harm patients.

[eyemanflying]

Instead of taking responsibility, I see posters, who are Opticians I suppose, derailing the topic of this thread to make themselves look innocent by pointing fingers at my personal opinion. Most docs have negative things to say about opticians because when we see reports like this, it is insulting to us as primary optometric physicians since WE have to deal with a case that should have been diagnosed and treated earlier on.

I agree that all professions have some bad apples, per se, but this case study is of great magnitude. A man was nearly blinded, directly due to the optician, and as such, I hold strong to my original opinion re: majority of opticians.

An OD is a Physician? This is as credible and truthful as your intial post. No offence to OD's, but a fact is a fact, to which this is not.

[uncut]

Instead of taking responsibility, I see posters, who are Opticians I suppose, derailing the topic of this thread to make themselves look innocent by pointing fingers at my personal opinion. Most docs have negative things to say about opticians because when we see reports like this, it is insulting to us as primary optometric physicians since WE have to deal with a case that should have been diagnosed and treated earlier on.

I agree that all professions have some bad apples, per se, but this case study is of great magnitude. A man was nearly blinded, directly due to the optician, and as such, I hold strong to my original opinion re: majority of opticians.

@physiciandesign000:
Can you direct me to the provincial government website page where it specifies that you can legally use this regulated designation....my ophthalmologist friend asked me to inquire on his behalf?

[For-Life]

Instead of taking responsibility, I see posters, who are Opticians I suppose, derailing the topic of this thread to make themselves look innocent by pointing fingers at my personal opinion. Most docs have negative things to say about opticians because when we see reports like this, it is insulting to us as primary optometric physicians since WE have to deal with a case that should have been diagnosed and treated earlier on.

I agree that all professions have some bad apples, per se, but this case study is of great magnitude. A man was nearly blinded, directly due to the optician, and as such, I hold strong to my original opinion re: majority of opticians.

If you meant to not disrespect anyone in the title, I am sure you would have apologized by now and given a re-wording. The title could have been an error, but your subsequent posts indicate that you blame opticians as a group and that you are bunching everyone together.

If I started a thread saying "Optometrists are Evil" and showed you one Optometrists that was performing surgery that was out of his scope, I am sure you would be upset that I grouped you in with that one Optometrist.

[Refractingoptician.com]

..

[eyemanflying]

Instead of taking responsibility, I see posters, who are Opticians I suppose, derailing the topic of this thread to make themselves look innocent by pointing fingers at my personal opinion. Most docs have negative things to say about opticians because when we see reports like this, it is insulting to us as primary optometric physicians since WE have to deal with a case that should have been diagnosed and treated earlier on.

I agree that all professions have some bad apples, per se, but this case study is of great magnitude. A man was nearly blinded, directly due to the optician, and as such, I hold strong to my original opinion re: majority of opticians.

Paging Meyer...paging Dr. Oscar Meyer.

[design786]

If you meant to not disrespect anyone in the title, I am sure you would have apologized by now and given a re-wording. The title could have been an error, but your subsequent posts indicate that you blame opticians as a group and that you are bunching everyone together.

If I started a thread saying "Optometrists are Evil" and showed you one Optometrists that was performing surgery that was out of his scope, I am sure you would be upset that I grouped you in with that one Optometrist.

It would be impossible to find a meaningful example of a OD wrongdoing. You must understand, ODs compared to opticians have to actually take several ethics courses during their 4-year tenure at an Optometry school. I am not sure if the word "ethics" is even in the vocabulary of most opticians, to be honest.

[Oedema]

It would be impossible to find a meaningful example of a OD wrongdoing. You must understand, ODs compared to opticians have to actually take several ethics courses during their 4-year tenure at an Optometry school. I am not sure if the word "ethics" is even in the vocabulary of most opticians, to be honest.

What in the world are you talking about!? Impossible to find OD "wrongdoing?" You've got to be kidding me. Several ethics courses at optometry school? I don't think so.

[kcount]

It would be impossible to find a meaningful example of a OD wrongdoing. You must understand, ODs compared to opticians have to actually take several ethics courses during their 4-year tenure at an Optometry school. I am not sure if the word "ethics" is even in the vocabulary of most opticians, to be honest.

Actually I remember getting high marks in social ethics and business ethics in college. I also remember my Grandmother telling me that if I didn't have anything nice to say I should sit and be quiet. I guess your Grandmother wasn't as up on etiquette.

Remember. "The time is always right to do what is right." ~ The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King.

[kcount]

It would be impossible to find a meaningful example of a OD wrongdoing. You must understand, ODs compared to opticians have to actually take several ethics courses during their 4-year tenure at an Optometry school. I am not sure if the word "ethics" is even in the vocabulary of most opticians, to be honest.

Oh, and the last OD I worked for missed a Glaucoma Dx for 5 years before being called to the mats by the MD. Then blamed it on his staff. Ethics?

[fjpod]

What in the world are you talking about!? Impossible to find OD "wrongdoing?" You've got to be kidding me. Several ethics courses at optometry school? I don't think so.

Yeah...I couldn't figure out whether he was being serious or tongue-in-cheek either. Every barrel has bad apples. Usually the higher up you get on the food chain, the more egregious the transgressions become.

[uncut]

Well folks, a little update on whats going on in BC. It seems as if the BCAO has completed a very basic study on opticians and sight testing. Of course this might have been going on prior to deregulation of BC, but nevertheless it clearly shows the opticians role in providing eye care services. Moreover, this may become the standard in the future.

A brief example:

Martina Gerrath, 73, Victoria
Health Risk: Incorrect prescription, complicated by glaucoma and cataracts

Martina Gerrath, 73, of Victoria, is a candidate for glaucoma and cataracts, so she visits her ophthalmologist every six months to keep a close watch on the health of her eyes. During one such visit, her ophthalmologist said she needed a new prescription. Unfortunately, shortly after her exam, she broke her frames. She visited the optical store to have them fixed. Because of the poor condition of her frames, an employee there suggested she should get new glasses. Gerrath hadn’t brought a
prescription with her from her optometrist, Dr. Steve Taylor, but the optical store employee suggested she didn’t need to – they could do a sight test and make the glasses. When Gerrath tried the new glasses on, she couldn’t see through them. The optical store redid the sight test, producing the same results as before. The glasses were useless. Furthermore, she had to go to great lengths to get her money refunded. More importantly, a woman of her age, and with her eye conditions and history, should never have been considered for a sight test. In fact, the College of Opticians’ own standards of practice for the use of auto-refractors/automated systems had been ignored.

I was unable to attach the .pdf file because these forums would not let me, however, I was able to capture a snapshot of the .pdf file detailing the first two pages of the study. The last two pages of the study as well as the full study itself has been changed to .txt format, so that it can be uploaded here.

These last two pages are bogus. There is no date on the release. It is modified.

uncut

[eyemanflying]

It would be impossible to find a meaningful example of a OD wrongdoing. You must understand, ODs compared to opticians have to actually take several ethics courses during their 4-year tenure at an Optometry school. I am not sure if the word "ethics" is even in the vocabulary of most opticians, to be honest.

My friend, you are so dilusional. Please...just lay the bong down. Your factless attempt to sabotage OPT's is without merit, evidence or credibility. If you truly received any kind of ethics training, this thread would have never even evolved.

[For-Life]

It would be impossible to find a meaningful example of a OD wrongdoing. You must understand, ODs compared to opticians have to actually take several ethics courses during their 4-year tenure at an Optometry school. I am not sure if the word "ethics" is even in the vocabulary of most opticians, to be honest.

Seriously, you can grow up. You may have taken several ethics courses, but you are acting completely unethical right now by bashing another profession.

I am not even in the business anymore. I moved onto bigger and better things. But I worked with my father for years. My father has been an optician for 40 years. He is the image of one of the most ethical men I have ever met. He taught me to put people number one, behind profits. Not to bash the competition. To work with people. To respect people.

You think an ethics course makes people ethical? Do not be so naive. If you are not an ethical person, no course will make you ethical. I have seen ODs who do many unethical things, but I would never accuse Optometrists of being unethical. It is the person who is unethical, not the profession. I know many great Optometrists and have great respect for them. But in every industry, you have bad apples.



So I think you should apologize to the Opticians on this site for your remarks, disrespect and stereotyping, because you have certainly not represented your profession well here.