Optometrists win rights to broaden services

Optometrist services

Date Published: Jun 24 2011

Optometrists have recently lobbied to expand their scope of practice in 18 states. Here's what happened:

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Comments

Permalink Submitted by Steve Koehn on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10

I think surgery and prescriptions should be left to Optomologists / MD's - not folks trained to test eyes.

I just performed surgery this

Permalink Submitted by Dr.Optometrist on Tue, 2012-09-25 15:52

I just performed surgery this AM on a patient. Now his eye is free of the foreign body and he is taking two prescriptions. We are doctors and deserve respect. I do not think we should ever do lasik, but optometrists are trained in surgical procedures. -An O.D. at a retail chain.

Although removing a foreign

Permalink Submitted by Frank on Thu, 2012-11-15 07:13

Although removing a foreign body has a surgical code, claiming you "preformed surgery" gives the public the wrong impression and just adds fuel to the fire.

Permalink Submitted by melanie scherer on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10

A friend had an optomotrist perform surgery on her eye and lost her sight in that eye. It took an ophthalmologist - a real eye doctor - to get her back most of her sight. The optometrist may be very nice, but CLEARLY does not have the medical knowledge or skill that an eye surgeon - who has studied eye surgery for many more years before going into the market place - has.

eye surgery

Permalink Submitted by Brad A. Baggarl... on Tue, 2012-07-17 21:01

I think you may have been given some incorrect information. I don't know of any state that allows optometrists to perform actual surgery. I attended optometry school which is the same length of time as medical school or dental school, four years. A one year residency is optional for us. An ophthalmologist is an eye surgeon and has a longer mandatory residency and many continue into a sub-specialty field by completing an additional fellowship. We are not surgeons but we are "real" eye doctors and can prescribe medication, perform minor procedures like removing foriegn bodies and of course, prescribe glasses and contact lenses. I am also on staff at a hospital and work closely with a large ophthalmology group. I hope that clears things up for you and others that may read your comment.

Permalink Submitted by ann on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10

Watch out!!! Big groups refer within their group just for business which is a big mistake.

Permalink Submitted by Diane Coates on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10

I have worked in the medical field for many years. The only medical professional that should be licensed to perform surgery is an MD whose residency rotation included surgery training and experience.

Permalink Submitted by E M Burchfield on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10

I use an optometrist who is constantly getting new training. I definitely trust him to prescribe meds for my eyes when needed & if he gets advanced training to do surgery I would trust him for that. BTW, even opthemologists make mistakes.

Permalink Submitted by WCS on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10

I think the only thing CLEAR hear on reading these comments is that there is a lot of misperception out there and this needs to be discussed more. To begin with, mention is made of MD's, "real doctors". Let us not forget (or do we know?) of DO's, Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, who are also "real doctors" and become ophthalmologists (BTW, that word has two h's in it) in all 50 States and territories after receiving the same surgical/medical training that allopathic (MD) physicians have. So one misperception right there. Could there not be another misperception? Secondly, I am a "real" physician who works in a rural area, and there ARE NO ophthalmologists anywhere close. I have on multiple occasions consulted or referred patients to local optometrists for both medical and trauma situations, and they have done a bang-up job of helping out. If it is beyond their capability, they refer to ophthalmology. Consideration needs to be taken of the relative lack of availability of ophthalmology in rural areas.

Permalink Submitted by Belinda Vrielink on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:10

This lawyer would not trust an optometrist to do surgery nor to prescribe meds. The difference in training is huge between optometrists & ophthalmologists, although optometrists like to call themselves "Dr's". Ophthalmologists are trained for years & years to handle defects, injuries & medical conditions of the eye. That's a LOT more than a few years of optometry school & concentrating on improving vision with glasses & contacts!

This doctor would not trust a

Permalink Submitted by Frank on Thu, 2012-11-15 07:10

This doctor would not trust a lawyer that makes public comments on situtations that they know don't understand. Your comment about "concentrating on improving vision with glasses and contacts," shows your ignorance about the profession of optometry and what they are trained, qualified and certified to do. Be socially responsible, if you are as educated as you claim to be, do a little research before your post such nonsence. Optometrist are not trained to be surgeons...PERIOD! IF you need eye surgery go to a MD. Optometrist do however prescribe meds and treat eye diseases with no more complications than their M.D. counterparts. The American Optometric Association webpage can be a great resource to find more "factual" information about optometry.

Public perception of lawyers

Permalink Submitted by Mark James on Tue, 2013-02-19 13:31

This comment about Optometrists shows the lack of research and understanding of reality that is prevalent is SOME lawyers. As an Optometrist, I have many lawyer friends and patients who would never make an unfounded statement such as the statement from Brenda. Optometrists have 4 years of undergraduate work and 4 years of strictly eye training. Plus many take another year of residency. We have mandatory continuing education requirements and we are considered physicians under Medicare. We treat most eye disease that requires medication and refer for surgery when indicated. When I refer for surgery, I send the patient to someone who does eye surgery ONLY, not some who do eye surgery part time. Finally, people like Brenda give lawyers a bad name as we know that public perception of lawyers is not positive. However, my experience with lawyers is very positive and I recognize that there are a few bad apples like Brenda in the bunch.

medical optpmetry

Permalink Submitted by william cuthbertson on Fri, 2012-05-11 11:09

optometry school--6yrs--medical--seven yrs[ after med school the doctor to be an ophthalmologist-3-4yrs hands on t raining. in an hospital under other ophthalmologists. Optometry now has the same hands on training in optometry controlled clinics where they get such training by ophthalmologists who are training optometrist for the same procedures. I started the first of these clinics in Atlanta;there are several now across the country serving all the schools of Optometry just as medicine does their boys.

No problem

Permalink Submitted by Jen on Tue, 2012-08-07 18:30

Both eye doctors no difference

Optometry training vs Opthalmology

Permalink Submitted by John on Tue, 2013-05-21 09:08

While its true that there are well trained optometrists who could & can do superficial procedures & prescribe meds, the best trained of these have a one year post training & work in an MD eye clinic or closely with Opthalmologist. There is a huge drop off in abilities between ODs. Certainly any increase in privileges (which is usually touted as a convenience issue for rural areas to legislatures) should be strongly worded to include the nessecity for those ODs who expand there scope to have passed written & oral knowledge tests in these fields & re certify periodically just as board certified ophthalmologist do. Also they should have had a residency & be associated with an eye MD as a Physician Assistant is. Furthermore they should have oversight by the same Board of Medicine in their state that watches & regulates the activities of MD eye doctors if the Particular OD wants to have an expanded scope of Medical Practice. In short it's NOT in anyone's best interests to just legislate all ODs to expand their scope of medical practice without agreeing to follow these guidelines to separate themselves.

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