Opticianry Summit?

[drk]

Public outcries are easy to manufacture. Look at the news around you.

[scriptfiller]

I think the national chains would love a stratified national opthalmic dispensing optician qualification/standard. Then they could schlep their ("Qualified")employees all around the country.

John@OWDC, my question was made from the standpoint of being ignorant of the previously mentioned professions/persons in an attempt to better understand how they are licensed and certified, no arrogance implied.

[hcjilson]

I also agree that Vision Council's decision not to invite Warren MacDonald speaks volumes.

tmorse,
I can say with some certainty that you have no idea of what you are talking about, sometimes, and this is one of them. when ignorant of a subject it is best to keep silent rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt.
To begin with, you have no idea of who or how people were chosen to be invited. If you did, you would be an insider to the Vison Council, and I am reasonably certain you are not. End of statement. If you have any questions of my veracity please PM me and I will be happy to provide you with whatever info I can.

[Judy Canty]

[QUOTE=scriptfiller;418180]I think the national chains would love a stratified national opthalmic dispensing optician qualification/standard. Then they could schlep their ("Qualified")employees all around the country.[QUOTE]

Quite the opposite, big box retailers oppose any regulation of Opticianry. The NAOO is still working diligently and very quietly on behalf of the major chains.

[Johns]

Use only four words:

Higher standards = Higher Wages.

[Johns]

Who wants higher wages?

___Opticians

___Employers

Check only one. (Chain stores are employers)

[John@OWDC]

tmorse,
I can say with some certainty that you have no idea of what you are talking about, sometimes, and this is one of them. when ignorant of a subject it is best to keep silent rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt.
To begin with, you have no idea of who or how people were chosen to be invited. If you did, you would be an insider to the Vison Council, and I am reasonably certain you are not. End of statement. If you have any questions of my veracity please PM me and I will be happy to provide you with whatever info I can.

And why not provide that information right here, right now?

It may answer a question many people have.

It is not OK to post on a public forum and then pick and choose what to take to email.

[hcjilson]

See reply by PM, and I really don't need anyone to tell me what is appropriate to post on these pages.I moderate here I just don't make a big deal out of it.

[CNG]

It is an unintended consequence of the new and current practical test in Florida in which all candidates must be verse in contact lens fittings in order to obtain their license... Our ability to fit contact lenses independently (in Florida) from prescribers have been in the books almost 20 years with no changes. What happened is the state never tested opticians to make sure they knew how to. Now any optician after 2011 must know how to fit them or they simply will not get their license. Contact lenses must continue to be part of opticianry as they are the only thing we do that has protected our license from deregulation. You can purchase online eyeglasses and contact lenses but eyeglasses do not provide physical harm if badly selected, fitted and adjusted other than a minor discomfort but badly fitted contact lenses may lead to blindness. The public demands safety and ill fitted contacts create harm.

CNG

[Uilleann]

...badly fitted contact lenses may lead to blindness. The public demands safety and ill fitted contacts create harm...
CNG

Can you point us to the data to back this up? I think we're all well aware of the complications of CL over wear, but in fairness, I've never heard of hordes of people waking up blind from a sloppy cl fit. Not being snarky here, I am genuinely interested in learning about this if true.

And I believe the trend in online optical dispensing (among other things) shows that the public does, in fact, not care as much about safety - but rather about perceived value or simply cost. At least that's my impression.

[tmorse]

See reply by PM, and I really don't need anyone to tell me what is appropriate to post on these pages.I moderate here I just don't make a big deal out of it.

Suffice to say I choose not to for reasons that are mine alone.I can back up what I say and I do not need any johnny come lately to tell a super moderator what, or what not is OK to post. In the words of Stan Freeburg.......Back off man,......You're too piercing.
with all due respect I am your most humble and o'bnt servant Harry Jilson





What is this... history being rewritten??

[CNG]

Contact lenses are pretty safe but when things go wrong they are pretty ugly. I am not trying to dish out the question as for proof as I imagine you are an educated fellow and a few keystrokes can give you the pretty, the bad and the ugly of contact lenses and even then you may only validate a study that you have personally done. No discussions here.

I worked for a large ophthalmology practice for 23 years and part of my duties included the specialty fits. So contact lenses is one thing that I have done many times. Ugly fits do exists and people do loose eyes and sight. Scarring is not forgiving. Admitted a tertiary office like that sees it all. Now that Im back to being self employed, eyeglasses have become my main bread and butter but I still tinker with contact lenses.

I understand that the public does not care about safety but fortunately our government does... thus for the existantce of the FDA and many other regulatory institutions. If Eyeglasses created harm our future would be brighter. If contact lenses did not create harm, the 1800 would have deregulated the need of a script to get them.

The business plan of opticianry is getting smaller and smaller by the minute...older people are getting cataracts sx sooner and the need of spectacles in that segment is decreasing. Younger adults buy their eyeglasses online until presbyopia hits and then they are back to us. So whats left is pediatrics and presbyopia as a niche for opticianry. Kids and presbyopes require eyeglasses and contact lenses to be professionally fitted. So whats else can opticianry have? What online opticals cannot expect is that we sit down and do nothing. I guarantee you that each one of independent opticians and optometrists are contemplating getting on board with online for our patients. Online still needs accurate PDs and seg heigh and patients do need adjustments, they simply will not be free for the outsiders. The business plan of online by B&M is coming soon and some say its already here by the big E, but the question is regulation and insurance coverage. Do not expect that our insurance dollars go to China or an obscure outfit.

CNG

[Judy Canty]

"The Case For Un-Bundling". ECP Magazine March 2012

[drk]

Well-written article. Pretty smart author, don't you think, CCat?

[Judy Canty]

She has her moments.