Optometry vs Opticianry......Why does it have to be WAR?

[lensgrinder]

I know you guys don't want to hear it from me because I'm an OD

I do not care who we hear it from. We need to have education if we want to advance period. I do not understand why we fight this. Someone in this thread said we need to crawl before we can walk. We need to get some sort of 2 year degree program in every state, once we acieve this then we can get every state licensed. The goal is to become licensed in every state to be taken seriously, who cares about anything else. After we achieve those two things then we can worry about other things.

[Darryl Meister]

For those of us who went to college, I would say that much of it was sitting around reading books on art history, Sigmund Freud, writing English papers, learning a second language (call that "liberal arts") with some math and science.

Try getting a physics or engineering degree sometime. ;)

On that subject, it is interesting to note that opticians in Germany generally receive training in optical engineering, not simply ophthalmic dispensing, which makes the typical German optician considerably more competent technically than comparable opticians and optometrists in the US.

I think high school trig and algebra are sufficient. H.S. physics may need supplementation, but that's do-able... What I'm trying to say is that a nice two-year tech college degree would be pretty useful,

An opticianry degree is usually a two-year "applied science" degree, which means that the vast majority of the courses will be focused on ophthalmic technology. A basic English composition course and Intermediate Algebra course are generally also part of the curriculum, and frankly should be. I think this type of degree program is a good fit for opticians. But keep in mind that very few opticians have actually graduated from one of these programs.

[Glock]

In Canada, at least in Ontario, you need 2 years of college plus 2 internships to practice as an optician. We know enough about ophthalmic optics to be able to learn refraction. Thanks to Amoura for posting the link to the retinoscopy simulator. A couple hours of practice with a phoropter and I'm good to go.

[fjpod]

[QUOTE=Glock] We know enough about ophthalmic optics to be able to learn refraction.
I read several of your posts. I think most of what you say is true, sensible and well thought out.

But, the act of refraction has an awful lot to do with physiological optics. I'm not saying opticians can't do it, but you've got to study this subject as well. Perhaps you include this in your definition of ophthalmic optics?