Bifocal adds in Nigeria

A total of 447 female and 915 male presbyopic patients were examined in the Benin-City, Nigeria optometry clinic. Comparison of bifocal adds with published data from other areas of the globe suggests that climatic temperature has less effect on the age of onset of presbyopia than other authors have claimed.     

The evolution of optometric education in America.

BACKGROUND: The first American optometry law was passed in Minnesota 100 years ago. That law--and the others that followed--determined the minimal educational requirements to practice optometry. Legislating the practice of optometry was the first step in changing optometric education, from a short course in refraction to an accredited university program. As the practice of optometry has changed and evolved over the past 100 years, so has the optometry school education. PURPOSE: This article chronicles the changes that have occurred in optometric education during this evolutionary period.     

The spiral curriculum in optometric education

Optometric education should center around clinical training from the first year and develop within a spiral curriculum as far as possible. This does not eliminate the need for a layered curriculum where basic sciences are considered necessary to further learning but serves to make these sciences more applied and relevant to the study of optometry from the very beginning. A philosophy of science component requires to be integrated in the optometry teaching program so as to provide the student with as wide a range of thinking and problem-solving skills possible, in particular those which relate to optometry in general and clinical learning. Advanced technologies in the areas of computers and video materials as well as modern teaching strategies should be used to make paradigm changes in optometric teaching effective.     

School of optometry at Tel Aviv University

The following article describes the program for the study of optometry to begin at Israel's Tel Aviv University in the 1987/1988 academic year. Details of the proposed structure, facilities and curriculum are presented. In addition, background is provided as to the current vision care system in Israel, and how the absence of a school of optometry has influenced its condition.     

Industrial vision revisited.

With the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and other government agencies addressing the protection of employees from occupational hazards at their work place, there has been a reemphasis in the industrial eye care field. Industrial vision programs are reviewed and an overview of the Army's occupational vision program is presented. If optometry is to continue progress in this sphere of public health, optometrists must become more involved in and knowledgeable of the visual requirements of the local industrial community, and the profession should consider the establishment of a certification program for occupational doctors of optometry.     

Changes in achievement scores as a result of a joint optometry and education intervention program

This study tested the effect of a visually directed intervention program on changes in standardized test results of intelligence quotient and achievement during kindergarten. Two groups of 19 kindergarten children from equivalent schools were matched for intelligence quotient, age, and sex. Fall and Spring measurements were made in the following areas: intelligence quotient, academic achievement tests, and paper and pencil perceptual tests. A visually based intervention program involving both optometry and education was provided for the experimental group. Kindergarten children in the experimental group who received the visually directed optometry and education intervention program showed significant differences in the rate of change in four of the eight tested areas when matched to the control group.     

A current analysis of optometric residency programs

Optometric residency programs were introduced into the profession in the 1970's and have proliferated markedly since that time. The philosophy of residency programs in general is included as well as a summary of currently offered residencies in optometry. Additional information including areas of program emphasis, the "typical" residency program and compensation levels are provided. An assessment of the advantages for the continuance of current programs and future expansion of optometric residency opportunities is discussed.     

PSRO's and optometry.

Public Law 92-603 is reviewed and reference made to sections where optometry can be involved. A guide to the development of a program for inclusion in the PSRO program is discussed and a challenge to the profession is issued.     

Paraoptometric education and training in the United States Air Force.

The authors describe military optometry clinic personnel problems prior to 1971 which led to the creation of the Air Force Optometry Specialist/Technician career field. The optometry Specialist, whose civilian counterpart is the optometric assistant/technician, receives a highly intensive 9 week resident course at the USAF School of Health Care Sciences. Additional mandatory training is received on the job and by a career development course specifically designed for the Optometry Specialist. An optional 2-year program is also offered through the Community College of the Air Force.     

The role of optometrists in India: An integral part of an eye health team

India has a proud tradition of blindness prevention, being the first country in the world to implement a blindness control programme which focused on a model to address blinding eye disease. However, with 133 million people blind or vision impaired due to the lack of an eye examination and provision of an appropriate pair of spectacles, it is imperative to establish a cadre of eye care professionals to work in conjunction with ophthalmologists to deliver comprehensive eye care. The integration of highly educated four year trained optometrists into primary health services is a practical means of correcting refractive error and detecting ocular disease, enabling co-managed care between ophthalmologists and optometrists. At present, the training of optometrists varies from two year trained ophthalmic assistants/optometrists or refractionists to four year degree trained optometrists. The profession of optometry in India is not regulated, integrated into the health care system or recognised by the majority of people in India as provider of comprehensive eye care services. In the last two years, the profession of optometry in India is beginning to take the necessary steps to gain recognition and regulation to become an independent primary health care profession. The formation of the Indian Optometry Federation as the single peak body of optometry in India and the soon to be established Optometry Council of India are key organisations working towards the development and regulation of optometry.     

Corneal power and astigmatism

A study investigating the corneal power and degree of astigmatism in 520 patients at a university optometry clinic in Benin-City, Nigeria was undertaken. The mean low corneal power and the mean high corneal power were 42.7 +/- 1.5 diopters and 43.3 +/- 1.5 diopters, respectively. The mean corneal astigmatism was 0.61 +/- 0.63 diopters. Although female corneas were significantly steeper than those of males, there was no significant difference between the corneal astigmatism with regard to sex. The data reported suggest that nutrition plays a less important role in corneal astigmatism than other authors have proposed.     

Optometry residency in low vision rehabilitation: a cooperative program

A cooperative Optometry Residency in Low Vision Rehabilitation has been established by the Optometry Sections at Hines Veterans Administration Hospital, Westside Veterans Administration Medical Center and the Illinois College of Optometry. The objective of this program is to train optometrists to function within, develop and direct clinical low vision programs in multidisciplinary settings. This optometry residency is unique in that it provides experience in delivering clinical low vision services in both inpatient and outpatient settings for patients of all ages during all stages of the clinical course of their disease, treatment and rehabilitation. Clinical rotations include the Optometry Section at the Central Blind Rehabilitation Center, the Chicago VICTORS Program, the Low Vision Clinic and affiliated Low Vision Clinics of the Illinois College of Optometry.     

Preoptometry and optometry school grade point average and optometry admissions test scores as predictors of performance on the national board of examiners in optometry part I (basic science) examination.

PURPOSE: To evaluate preoptometry and optometry school grade point averages and Optometry Admission Test (OAT) scores as predictors of performance on the National Board of Examiners in Optometry NBEO Part I (Basic Science) (NBEOPI) examination. METHODS: Simple and multiple correlation coefficients were computed from data obtained from a sample of three consecutive classes of optometry students (1995-1997; n = 278) at Southern California College of Optometry. RESULTS: The GPA after year two of optometry school was the highest correlation (r = 0.75) among all predictor variables; the average of all scores on the OAT was the highest correlation among preoptometry predictor variables (r = 0.46). Stepwise regression analysis indicated a combination of the optometry GPA, the OAT Academic Average, and the GPA in certain optometry curricular tracks resulted in an improved correlation (multiple r = 0.81). Predicted NBEOPI scores were computed from the regression equation and then analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (roc) and statistic of agreement (kappa) methods. From this analysis, we identified the predicted score that maximized identification of true and false NBEOPI failures (71% and 10%, respectively). Cross validation of this result on a separate class of optometry students resulted in a slightly lower correlation between actual and predicted NBEOPI scores (r = 0.77) but showed the criterion-predicted score to be somewhat lax. CONCLUSIONS: The optometry school GPA after 2 years is a reasonably good predictor of performance on the full NBEOPI examination, but the prediction is enhanced by adding the Academic Average OAT score. However, predicting performance in certain subject areas of the NBEOPI examination, for example Psychology and Ocular/Visual Biology, was rather insubstantial. Nevertheless, predicting NBEOPI performance from the best combination of year two optometry GPAs and preoptometry variables is better than has been shown in previous studies predicting optometry GPA from the best combination of preoptometry variables.     

Competency standards for entry-level to the profession of optometry 1993

Competency standards for entry-level to the profession of optometry in Australia were established after a process of interview, observation of optometric practice, workshops and consultation with the profession. The standards developed consisted of eight units to represent the skills and attributes expected of an optometrist who is to be registered for the first time. The units were broken into 37 elements to illustrate the components of each area and the elements were accompanied by performance criteria which, when observed, can provide evidence of the ability of the person to perform to a degree necessary for the appropriate practice of optometry. The standards were developed for the profession as it exists in 1993 and will be updated progressively as required.     

A nationwide evaluation of the academic performance of male and female optometry students

The number of women entering optometry has risen steadily over the last two decades. The present study is a nationwide evaluation of the academic performance of male and female optometry students graduating in 1986. The data presented was obtained through the cooperation of 12 of the 15 U.S. schools and colleges of optometry. Factors which were investigated include preoptometry grade point average (GPA), GPA at the end of the first two years of optometry school, GPA for the second two years of optometry (calculated independently from the first two years GPA), Optometry College Admission Test (OCAT) scores, class rank at graduation and awards received at graduation. This analysis revealed very little difference in overall academic performance between male and female optometry students.     

睫状肌麻痹前后综合验光仪与常规验光比较分析

目的 对比分析睫状肌麻痹前后综合验光仪主觉验光和常规主觉插片屈光度的差异变化,探讨科学规范的验光方法.方法 选取2009年8月行屈光检查的近视患者108例,年龄17～28岁,睫状肌麻痹前后用电脑验光仪或检影镜进行客观验光,然后在此基础上进行综合验光仪主觉验光和常规主觉插片.将检测结果用统计软件SPSS11.0进行统计学分析.结果 综合验光仪主觉验光球镜和柱镜度数在睫状肌麻痹前后变化不大,差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).而常规验光球镜度数睫状肌麻痹前后差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).柱镜度数散瞳前后差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 对于成人屈光不正患者,规范科学的综合验光仪主觉验光无需散瞳松弛睫状肌即可获得准确的屈光不正度数,是一种简便准确可靠的验光方法.     

Residency training at the Kansas City Veterans Administration Medical Center: the first 10 years

Hospital residency training is relatively new to optometry. At the present time, 48 residents are in training at 30 VA Medical Centers and approximately 17 residents are in training elsewhere. This paper reviews the initial 10 years (1975-1985) of the first Council on Optometric Education accredited VA residency program at Kansas City, and describes the program and future plans.     

What are the pros and cons of requiring postgraduate residency training as an entry-level practice requirement?

Postgraduate residency training would produce better trained optometrists to meet the future needs of optometry. While residency training would expose a new graduate to experience that may take years to acquire, currently there is no mechanism in place to accommodate such a program.     

Paraprofessional utilization in optometry.

Issues that surround the use of paraprofessionals in optometry are examined. The experiences and findings from paraprofessional programs in other health disciplines are reviewed as they relate to optometry. Paraprofessional utilization is a significant yet neglected alternative that has the potential of relieving the increasing manpower shortage in optometry. This concept is reviewed in terms of its effects on productivity and quality of care. The viability of this concept has been found to be dependent upon the subjective acceptance of paraprofessionals by the health professional as well as the consumer. Patient attitudes and acceptance are largely determined by the professional's acceptance. Values and beliefs held by the optometrist or some other discipline may manifest themselves as significant barriers to increased utilization of paraoptometric personnel. The socialization process must begin during the years of professional education and early years of clinical experience.     

Personality test measures in optometry school admissions

Predicting clinical competence among optometry students from data obtainable at the time of admissions is the focus of this study. Preoptometry grades, Optometry College Admission Test (OCAT) scores, and applicant scores on a standardized personality inventory were tested as predictors of faculty ratings of student performance in optometry clinics. Students' clinical performance was best predicted by certain personality dimensions, objectively measured by the California Psychological Inventory (CPI). Preoptometry grades and OCAT scores, although significantly correlated with optometry grades, were generally poor predictors of clinical performance. For men, achievement drive, self-confidence, and tolerance and for women, self-confidence, assertiveness, and interpersonal effectiveness were the personal qualities most highly correlated with instructors' ratings of performance. The study demonstrates that these personal qualities, as well as the degree to which an applicant presents a "good impression," can be objectively assessed at the time of application to optometry school.