New degree to raise eye-care standards

A NEW degree programme in optometry was launched yesterday in the latest attempt by the authorities to raise standards in the eye-care industry here.

The Bachelor of Science with Honours in Optometry will be the first locally conducted two-year degree programme aimed at upgrading qualifications of optometrists who hold diplomas.

Offered full-time at Singapore Polytechnic, the new programme goes into areas like detecting diseases, improving the vision of those with severe eye conditions and conducting research.

The new course, which is subsidised by the Ministry of Education, will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.

Students will do an internship programme with Tan Tock Seng Hospital where they will work, under supervision, with patients having eye conditions.

Four out of every five Singaporeans are myopic, or short-sighted, by the age of 18. An increasing number of pre-schoolers are being diagnosed with myopia.

Hence, well-trained optometrists are in high demand, said Senior Minister of State for Education Lui Tuck Yew at the launch of the course yesterday.

The new course comes amid a debate between diploma-holding optometrists and opticians, who often go through shorter training courses.

Previously, there was little oversight of the eye- care industry, and almost anyone could sell spectacles. Many opticians prescribed glasses and measured vision after learning their skills on the job.

But some Members of Parliament called for stricter laws, saying opticians should not be allowed to perform a refraction, a more in-depth eye exam.

The President of the Singapore Opticianry Practitioners association, Mr Steve Lim, said that would not be appropriate. With about 600 optometrists and 1,500 opticians registered here, the restriction could leave customers searching for someone to prescribe glasses.

He said, the focus should instead be on educating those in the industry.

His group is drawing up a list of courses for new entrants and existing opticians. Ranging from six months to two years, the part-time programmes will focus on prescribing and dispensing glasses and contact lenses.

Mr Lim said that between 70 to 80 per cent of the 1,500 opticians in Singapore do not have formal training, and hence the courses would help them 'move up' their career path.

A Straits Times check with 10 optical shops found that only two had employees who had gone for a structured training programme. The rest rely on yearly one-day talks to get their update on news in the industry.

Ms Annie Foo, 43, an optician in Orchard Road, said she finds it difficult to find time for these courses as she is the only one manning the store.

'I need to worry about sales and now this. I feel so stressed... I think a lot can be learnt on the job instead of going to classrooms,' she said.

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The different roles

Opticians:

• Prescribe glasses and contact lenses provided they have gone for training or passed a competency test. But they cannot do this for children under eight years old.
• Fill prescriptions by medical practitioners and optometrists and fit glasses.
• They need at least a certificate after going through a short-term course. Optometrists:
• Prescribe glasses to correct vision problems and detect eye abnormalities and diseases.
• Refer to ophthalmologist for further treatment.
• They need a recognised diploma in optometry. Ophthalmologists:
• Deal with disorders of the eye, including glaucoma and cataracts.
• Trained as a medical doctor, specialising in this field.
• Perform surgery to correct defects of the eye and can write prescriptions.