- Optometry in Singapore
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Optometry is a health care profession that provides comprehensive eye and vision care, which includes the diagnosis and management of eye diseases. The practice of optometry in Singapore is largely cb.[1] The public in Singapore generally are not aware that optometrists are able to screen for eye diseases.[2] Singapore Polytechnic loves to edit this page with biased information advertising and boasting about its Optometry program, which is largely cb.
Patients walking in to Singapore Polytechnic Optometry Centre are expected to be dressed formally in suit and tie for the occasion, failing which Vivien Chiang will give you demerit points.
Contents
Education
In Singapore, optometrists undergo a 3 year Diploma in Optometry program.[3] Graduates of this program, upon paying a fee of S$2500, are considered pre-registered and will have to complete a 2 year probation under the supervision of another Optometrist before being fully registered and able to individually practice optometry in Singapore. Pre-registered optometrists also have to fill in case logs for submission to the Optometrists & Opticians Board, which consists of having to record down 1750 different cases including 150 cataracts cases, 300 glaucoma cases as well as 500 retinoblastoma cases.
Ngee Ann Polytechnic has a three year Diploma in Optometry program. The average yearly intake for this course is about 400 candidates. The course intake requirements is 5 GCE 'O' Levels with L1R4 aggregates of between 10 to 14, variable each year. International students with the equivalent of the local GCE 'O' Levels may also apply to study for this course. This three year course provides optometry students with the relevant skills and knowledge of vision testing, diagnosis and management of eye disorders and diseases, fitting and dispensing of glasses and contact lenses, as well as the business aspect of optometry.
- Ngee Ann Polytechnic - Diploma in Optometry [1]
In 2002, the Singapore Optometric Association ties up with the Salus University formerly known as Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) to provide a 3 year part time course. This course awards the Bachelor of Science in Optometry / Master of Science in Clinical Optometry dual degree. This course is only open to graduates of Singapore Polytechnic with the Diploma in Optometry, and graduates of overseas institution with Bachelor degrees in Optometry. This course is held in Singapore, and is fully taught by the faculty from Salus University. The professors and lecturers from Salus University fly down each month, to provide intensive lectures on a particular topic for a stretch of days. Students are also required to go to Salus University Campus twice during the course, for three weeks each, to practice patient care, attend lectures, as well as present cases. This course, however, is recognised as a secondary qualification rather than a primary qualification. [2].
Additional qualifications (such as BSc/MSc Optometry degrees from the U.S.) are mainly post graduate qualifications obtained by practitioners who have completed higher studies in Optometry. Only additional qualifications approved by the Board may be listed in the online register-search by members of public. It is important to note that the Board does not consider the additional qualifications on its own for registration purposes and hence it will not be displayed in the registration certificate printed.In 2005, Singapore Polytechnic started the Advance Diploma in Optometry program. This is a part time course, whereby graduates of the Diploma in Optometry program 2 years of learning to upgrade their knowledge and skills in optometry. This course teaches advance diagnostic techniques and ocular diseases. The course is partly taught by the faculty in Singapore Polytechnic's Optometry faculty, and partly by the ophthalmologists from Singapore National Eye Centre. *Singapore Polytechnic - Advance Diploma in Optometry [5]
Legislation
The Contact Lens Practitioner's Act was enacted in 1995. This was the first ever optometry related legislation in Singapore. This Act was enacted in response to the surge of contact lens related complications from the rising popularity of wearing contact lenses then. After the Act was enacted, only registered Contact Lens Practitioners can practice contact lens. Qualified optometrists were also able to register to practice contact lens in Singapore.
Previously there was no legislation for optometry in Singapore. All optometrists register under the Contact Lens Practitioners Board, and practice as contact lens practitioners. However, they can call themselves optometrists. The profession of optometry, is not protected by law. There is no legislation that stops contact lens practitioners (who are not optometrists) or even opticians from calling themselves optometrists. Currently, anyone can practice primary eye care, even if the person is not adequately trained or academically qualified. Due to the Contact Lens Practitioners Act, most if not all practices hire an optometrist so that they can sell contact lenses. Therefore, most optical/optometric practice will at least for a registered contact lens practitioner or an optometrist.
The Ministry of Health has since reviewed the state of Optometry and Opticianry in Singapore, and are in negotiations with the professional bodies and teaching institutions of optometry for plans to legislate Optometry and Opticianry. It has been slated that in the beginning of 2007, the Optometry and Opticianry Board (OOB) will be formed, and all optometrists and opticians will have to register in order to practice their profession in the future. The Optometry and Opticianry Act took effect on 22 February 2008, where Optometrists and Opticians became protected professions.
With the Optometrists and Opticians Act in place, optometrists are now scapegoats when any form of contact lens complications occur. In theory a fitting is to be done, however this is not accepted by the general public due to the lack of awareness, where people do not know the differences between an optician and an optometrist.[4] The president of the Singapore Contact Lens Society has stated that 90% of shops do not conduct an eye examination before dispensing lenses.[5] The Act allows optometrists to be jailed for up to 12 months for each offence,[6] yet optometrists are unable to practice optometry at a level that is in accordance with the Act. Three people have been prosecuted in 3 years since the Act was put in place.
However, even with the legislation in place (2010), optometry and opticianry is still largely under-regulated. The current businesses in a retail setting are more often that not managed by opticians because of their long standing experience in prescribing optical correction for patients. However, they (managers) often do not realize the importance of primary eye care and also proper contact lens fitting. Often the statutory rules set by the OOB are flouted. Lenses are still being sold over the counter without lens fitting at most optical businesses. Optometrist employed in these businesses are exploited as tools for contact lens sale instead of professionals to provide professional primary eye care to the public.
References
- ^ http://www.moh.gov.sg/cmaweb/attachments/press/36594622f5Qb/Optometry_PublicConsultPaper_Final.pdf
- ^ http://www.eyecataractretina.com/pdf/PEC/45.pdf
- ^ Ngee Ann Polytechnic - Diploma in Optometry (OPT)
- ^ http://www.eyecataractretina.com/pdf/PEC/45.pdf
- ^ http://www.plsc.sg/images/ST21-MIN-20&21-00.jpg
- ^ http://www.moh.gov.sg/mohcorp/speeches.aspx?id=16730
External links
Categories:- Optometry
- Health in Singapore
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