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Involvement in organized optometry helps profession move forward
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![Michael D. DePaolis, OD, FAAO [photo]](/~/media/shared-images/michael-d-depaolis-od-faao.jpg)
Drive time can be a wonderful thing. The commute home each evening provides the perfect opportunity to reflect on the day and make sure no detail was left unattended. Details such as getting back to a pharmacist on a prescription refill authorization, making sure that the staff has attended to the day’s contact lens orders and completing physician dictation. It is also a great time to reflect on the day’s more challenging patients.
Take today, for instance. My first appointment was an 11-month-old with torticollis, followed by three patients for 1-week post-cataract comanagement visits. There was a young girl with a corneal foreign body and a few annual diabetic exams.
The afternoon started with three keratoconus patients, one of which required a post-penetrating keratoplasty contact lens fitting. There were a few silicone hydrogel continuous-wear patients, a woman with Botox-induced [botulinum toxin type A, Allergan] transient ptosis and a glaucoma patient who had developed a macular hole. With the dozen or so “routine exams,” it made for a pretty busy – and challenging – day.
As I drove on this evening, it finally dawned on me. This is a pretty typical day for me and for many optometrists.
Evolution of optometry
So, how did all of this come about? How is it that a profession historically known for refracting so quickly evolved into primary eye care providers? How is it that a profession once largely excluded from medical health care plans now participates with parity? How is it that a profession that once referred conjunctivitis cases is now able to prescribe a wide range of therapeutics? Finally, how is it that a profession that once stood on the fringe of health care has become an integrated member of the provider community?
While these questions are not easily answered, we do know a few things for sure. This did not happen overnight and it did not happen by chance. Indeed, it was optometry’s visionaries who were the architects for change. Their vision was carried to fruition by a very dedicated effort, one in which optometrists provided grassroots support in a variety of capacities. All of us owe a debt of gratitude to our leaders at the American Optometric Association, the American Academy of Optometry, our optometric teaching institutions, as well as the thousands of ODs who have made it all happen.
The most important aspect of optometry’s evolution is that it has provided us the means by which to better serve our patients. The challenge, of course, is that patient needs are ever changing. Will shifting demographics necessitate that optometry manage even more pathology? Will optometry have access to the newest technologies? Will managed care play an even greater role in how health care is delivered? And will optometry be ready for these changes?
Creating a blueprint
In August, optometry’s leaders gathered for the Optometry 2020 summit in Dallas. This meeting provided a forum for optometrists from all areas – the AOA, the AAO, private practice, academia, military, industry – to discuss optometry’s greatest challenges. Over the next year, these visionaries will identify and prioritize the issues, as well as implement a “blueprint” for optometry’s future. And as has traditionally been optometry’s strength, this initiative has been fueled by volunteers.
The Optometry 2020 summit serves as yet another reminder of how important it is to be involved. Our collective efforts in supporting organizations such as the AOA and AAO, our teaching institutions and local optometric society political initiatives are critical. Every effort counts. Without them, will optometry be where our patients need us to be in the year 2020?