In a past posting, the three worst things about optometry were noted, but never since then have I posted my three favorite things about optometry. In the spirit of balance and of course optimism about our great profession, here they are.
Most Favorite #3: Increasing acceptance of delegation to trained para-professional staff.
When I was at ICO in the late 1980’s I was expected to provide an eye examination under the supervision of an attending staff doctor within about two hours. We learned and then delivered every test under the sun — color vision, stereopsis, cover test, PD measurement, retinoscopy, keratometry, refraction, health testing — with incredible detail. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I never really was trained on how this would change in practice.
Today, we use para-optometric staff, many of them trained at technical colleges and having attained CPOA or CPOT certification. State laws dictating the “professional” practice of optometry historically limited an optometrist to a subset of test that such technicians could perform. In current practice it is well established that ODs can and should use their trained staff to improve the quality and efficiency of patient care. If you don’t use technicians today, you should start tomorrow.
Most Favorite #2: Collegiality amongst competitors.
Sure, there are still rifts in optometry about modes of practice — private vs. corporate vs. employed by clinic groups and MDs. But when optometrists from these various modes get together, invariably they are friendly and collegial. It never fails to amaze me at local, state and national meetings to see doctors from very different backgrounds getting together and sharing clinical thoughts, and just enjoying each other’s time.
When doctors go to meetings where they further stratify themselves to cooperative competitors, which might be a gathering of doctors who practice in Walmart locations, or Lenscrafters, or private practices, they really get together. It’s common for these doctors to all be in competition for the same patients, yet they gather to share perspectives on practice and ultimately help each other become better at what they do.
Most Favorite #1: Technology advances in eye care.
Given the venture that I’ve made into EHR as a co-founder of a company that supplies web-based software to help ODs do the business of patient care, I guess that is plenty of evidence that I like technology. The technology in optometry goes well beyond EHR, though.
We deliver care that goes well beyond that delivered just 10 years ago. Macular pigment density testing, computerized eye charts, automated refracting systems, retinal imaging devices, high-tech tonometry — all make for a very exciting patient experience and a pleasurable day at work for an OD.
I could list dozens of my favorite things about optometry. I hope that whatever drives you to continue caring for patients will continue to be a motivator for you to continue being a front-line eye care provider.
