Hey guys! Just wanted to let all you Ontario Opticians out there know, that Georgian College is finally ready to offer this course. It starts May 13th, registration just started Aril 21st. As far as i know it's Monday and Tues 9-3 until June 24th (for the first module)
So if anyone is interested in this course, please register ASAP. They need 12 students to go ahead with it, and so far I'm the only one. So come on and join me!!
..
Last edited by Refractingoptician.com; 05-07-2008 at 09:47 PM.
Yah know, I don't even know how many modules there are...it took me a month and half just to get the info I've posted, and to register.Originally Posted by Gary
The new legislation that went through stipulates that we can now legally refract, under the supervision of an OD, (which by the way is a joke! Cause really, which OD in my town would help me, their competition anyway?) But I hope that Ontario can catch up to BC, and maybe someday soon I will be able to on my own. So when that day comes....I'll be ready, and fully educated! One can only hope!
I just thought I needed to clarify. Everybody in Ontario is allowed to operate an autorefractor, in the same way that anybody in Ontario is allowed to measure blood pressure, or body temperature, or body weight. What is not allowed is the communication of a disease or disorder and to prescribe from that measurement. Opticians were restricted from autorefracting because too many of them were using the results of their autorefraction to communicate a disorder of the eye and prescribe glasses without the direct supervision an OD or MD. The COO has decided to run with this change and announce it like it is something new. My staff is allowed to run my autorefractor, and if you worked in an OD or MD office, you would too. The law in BC was proposed to change in 2004 and is still unchanged.
So everyone in Ontario is allowed to operate an autorefractor, but under the direct supervision of an OD or MD, right? Which is where the problem lies, not all of us have the pleasure of working side by side an OD.
I thought BC Opticians were allowed to perform independant refractions?? No?? Hey BC Opticians....HELP US OUT!!
Q: Should "Dr.s" (ODs, MDs) "supervise" their patients/clients when they *select* their OTC reading eyewear...
...or any type of eyewear online?
Food for thought...
Barry
Last edited by Barry Santini; 04-23-2008 at 02:51 PM.
An auto refractor is a simple thing to use, and definately doesn't need any type of school to learn. I'm fairly confident the Georgian course is to learn actual refraction, not autorefractors.
The Georgian Course is being done in vain. But i guess that you have to start somewhere. Already have taken the georgian course and am in my co-op phase. The toughest thing is going to class every week knowing that you cannot do anything with your knowledge. You get to learn lots of interesting things and you can begin to see the eye exam from the doctors perspective (more than just a visual refractive correction). Unless the college allows us to refract independantly (within guidelines and following contraindications) so we can issue an rx, this course is just a waste of time.
I took the course because I am married and it was an excuse to leave every week.
You gotta learn to crawl before you can walk. It's only going to be the minority of opticians that step up their game to attain the levels you talk about, if you take the course you will be ready to take advantage of change when it happens. Good luck with the course it sounds fun.
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Last edited by Refractingoptician.com; 05-07-2008 at 09:49 PM.
I want to clarify something as well. Any unlicensed, non-health personnel have always been allowed to manually refract a patient and then hand the results over to a supervising prescriber who could then use that information to write a prescription. Opticians could not. Until recently, that is. Now we can officially do so in the course of our practice.
If it's a 'simple eye exam' refraction only, compared to current spectacles and not diagnosing, I say go ahead with it as I would certainly do it. It's a great, convenient service to offer and all you are doing is tweaking the Rx. I know at least a dozen opticians already doing it and the College couldn't care less at this point since they put the cart before the horse on this issue.
Communicating a diagnosis, diagnosing a disease or disorder, prescribing or dispensing are all controlled acts in Ontario because they are deemed to be harmful if not done correctly, by a trained person. Fitting glasses on any 2D myope is fairly simple, which anyone probably can do. However, we are all trained for the exception, and not the rule. I just examined a 13 year old who had been autorefracted, er sight tested, at a retail store. She was a simple myope, -2.75 OU, and her myopia 14 months earlier was -1.00. She complained of asthenopia at school with her new glasses. Glasses were made correctly and her refraction was correct. So, your the sight tester: What are the reasons for her complaint and what further questions should you ask about this case? I'll give you the answer in a few days.
Q: How do/did you know refractions was "correct"??
Barry
I examined her
pick me, i know the answer
hey Optical Maven,
I agree with you that sight testing or a simple refraction won't cut it in every situation. Part of the college guideline would be to only refract on patients over eighteen. Secondly, any person coming back with any sort of incompatibility would be referred to the optometrist.
What we are trying to do is make the service of refraction available to the specific part of the public who only want to either confirm or tweak their RX to purchase a pair of eyeglasses.
This WILL NOT work in all cases. It was never intended to work in all cases. Don't prejudge the context of what our goal is. There are many situations where the optician is better to refer than to refract. One other part of the framework for a refraction is that if a patient/customer has not seen an optometrist within three years, an Optician MUST refer to an OD for a full exam. There is an entire list of reasons when /why we should refer.
p.s. The georgian course is a great start, but the course needs to be way more detailed and specific before we can start refracting.
peace brother,
Non-registered persons under an Optometrist's direction shouldn't be able to perform registered Optician's duties, period. This seems to remain unchanged in the near future, therefore it makes perfect sense for Opticians to be able to perform 'simple refractions' and gain back some of that market share. Give, give, give, it's time to get some back.
I'll answer this trick question. The answer is:
Only a doctor knows the underlying cause of a medical problem.
Sight testers don't pretend to be doctors. Only sight testers.
Your example actually supports two points for sight testing:
a) sight testing works. (you said the Rx was accurate)
b) sight testing should be reserved for those aged 18 - 64
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Last edited by Refractingoptician.com; 05-07-2008 at 09:50 PM.
OM
the answer is vergence insufficiency. The eyes inability to fuse images caused by stress. Check with maddox rod or von graffe. Simple phoria or tropia.
Great points!! Couldn't agree more!:D:D
These are common practices in physician's offices. Is your concern the same for physicians, and if yes has your association expressed similar outrage and concern to the OMA and government to stop delegation in a physician's office? Are you also expressing similar outrage to your association to stop delegation within opticianry? Or are these only issues when it involves optometrists?
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Last edited by Refractingoptician.com; 05-07-2008 at 09:50 PM.
Sort of correct. Examination revealed a high AC/A (about 6/1) which results in a convergence excess (not insufficiency) with new Rx. Advice is to remove glasses when reading. However she also complains that school is difficult because she shifts focus from distance to near, near to distance. So removing glasses is inconvenient. This one of those few instances where a bifocal would help to reduce accommodation and therefore reduce convergence. How much convergence do you want to reduce and what is the correct add?
I'm referring to OD's only. Opticians and OD's should not be able to delegate frame adjustments or the measuring of PD's or heights. Delegation should be kept at a minimum and should not exceed choosing suitable frames, coatings or performing repairs.
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