WILLIAM Shakespeare once wrote, “The eyes are the window to your soul,” Cicero, a great Roman Philosopher likewise said that, "The face is a picture of the mind as the eyes are its interpreter."
Undoubtedly, the eyes perform functions beyond its physiologic mechanisms. Thus, one cannot underestimate its importance to our daily lives. After all, it is considered to be among the five special senses of the body: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and touching (physical feeling). Therefore, maintaining its health is just as important as other vital organs of the body.
In connection to this, allow me to introduce you to the three O’s of health professionals responsible for your eyes’ health.
The Optician
The optician’s main responsibility is to make eye-glasses. They often work or own stores that sell eye-glasses. Clients usually go to the optician with a prescription for glasses and it is these opticians that measures, fits and finds the correct frames and lenses for the glasses including contact lenses for the clients.
Opticians are not involved in the diagnosis or treatment of eye conditions. In terms of educational attainment, the Philippine Bureau of Local Employment (Bole) maintains that opticians in the country are required to be at least high school graduate or holders of an associate degree (2 years of college) and have undergone training or on-the-job experience relevant to the practice of being optician.
On the other hand, Section 6, item 5 of Article III of Ched Memorandum Order (CMO) 38 series of 2007, otherwise known as the "Policies and Standards for Optometry Education," states that a graduate of the 6-year Doctor of Optometry program can function as an optician (probably if he or she desires to and maybe for the under-boards).
Data culled from Bole disclose that an optician’s entry-level salary ranges from P9,000 to P15,000 monthly. Whereas, the highly trained and experienced opticians and are employed overseas like in the USA and Canada can earn between $34,790 to $ 2,899 per month.
The Optometrist
Republic Act 8050, also known as the “Revised Optometry Law of 1995” defines optometry as the science and art of examining the human eye, analyzing the ocular function, prescribing and dispensing ophthalmic lenses, prisms, contact lenses and their accessories and solutions, low vision aids, and similar appliances and devices, conducting ocular exercises, vision training, orthoptics, installing prosthetics, using authorized diagnostic pharmaceutical agents, and other preventive or corrective measures or procedures for the air, correction, rehabilitation or relief of the human eye, or to attain maximum vision and comfort.
It also adds that lawfully, an optometrist must be certified by the board of optometry and register under the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) to qualify for practice in the Philippines.
In terms of educational qualifications, CMO 38 s.2007 informs that the degree “Doctor of Optometry” is conferred upon any individual who has finished at least six (6) years, with the first two (2) years of which being a Pre-optometry degree and the remaining four (4) years are for the Optometry Proper.
Optometrists are usually the first line of healthcare provider that a client encounters if the primary health care system is religiously followed. Optometrists can diagnose and manage eye conditions for as long as they do not perform surgical procedures as such conditions are referred to eye specialists called ophthalmologists, who can perform the said invasive procedures.
The Ophthalmologist
Considered as the EYE-MD, ophthalmologists are seated at the topmost of the hierarchy as they are regarded as the experts in the total eye care of the individual. They can examine, diagnose and prescribe all forms of treatments including pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic and surgical interventions to the eye.
To be an ophthalmologist, one needs to: obtain the degree “doctor of medicine,” be licensed physician, undergo the three-year residency program accredited by the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmologists, and pass the written and practical exam of the said accrediting body to either become a diplomate or fellow of ophthalmology.
To date, there is no other law that regulates the practice of ophthalmology in the country other than the Philippine Medical Act of 1959 (Republic Act 2382). Specifically, Section 10 of the said Medical Act defines the scope of practice (Acts constituting the practice of medicine):
(a) Who shall for compensation, fee, salary or reward in any form, paid to him directly or through another or even without the same, physical examine any person, and diagnose, treat, operate or prescribe remedy for any human disease, injury, deformity, physical, mental or physical condition or any ailment, real or imaginary, regardless of the nature of the remedy, or treatment administered, prescribed or recommended;
(b) by any means... (advertises)... in the television or radio that he or she is a physician, and
(c) Who shall use the title M.D. after his name.
Overlapping Scopes of Practice
To anyone who has the slightest medical background, the collaboration between an optometrist and ophthalmology may cause some confusion probably due to a hazy boarder or demarcation line separating its scope of practice. However, Section 5 of the Revised Optometry Law provides that prohibitions against the practice of optometry shall not apply to regularly licensed and duly registered physicians who have received postgraduate training in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases. This implies that physicians and ophthalmologists can also render services similar or parallel to those rendered by the optometrists upon the formers’ discretion.
The same section of the said optometry law states that... “However, the examination of the human eye by duly registered physicians in connection with the physical examination of the patients shall not be considered as practice of optometry”. Conversely, this implies that an optometrist cannot correct through interventions a medical disorder that affects vision (example for the case of a diabetic patient and the optometrist prescribes pharmaceutical agents to correct it) other than through provisions of interventions that exclusively concern the eyes such as but not limited to glasses, lenses or eye health education and training exercises compared to what a physician or ophthalmologist is privileged to render.
Digressing a bit, the month of August is also known as the Sight-saving month. According to the Global Initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness called Vision2020 programme by the World Health Organization, the following are the desired targets for the following eye care professionals in the Philippines: Ophthalmologist 1: 50,000 population; Optometrist: 1: 100,000 population; Optician: 1: 50,000 population.
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