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BLOG: Optometry in France
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Bonjour! I’ve just returned from a wonderful week in Paris.
I’m not just bragging about a wonderful trip, because I did speak at the Congres d’Optometrie et de Contactologie meeting of the l’Association des Optometristes de France. (I assume you can figure out that it was a contact lens conference.)
It was great to connect with eye care professionals in other countries, such as Ireland, England, France and Canada. I spoke on “A Nutritional Approach to Contact Lens Success” and did a second talk on “Ocular and Systemic Effects of Cannabis: The High Points of Lower Eye Pressure.” Yes, I was surprised that they wanted that second lecture but, hey, who am I to balk?
In regard to the cannabis issue, there are new laws coming out in France regarding the use of “non-THC” versions of cannabis. For now, only neurologists can prescribe it for multiple sclerosis symptoms if other medications don’t work effectively. A new “Kanna-Vape” is about to be released, which is a hemp variety of cannabis that has no “high” effect but does have some medicinal value. If you’re not aware, hemp is a variety of cannabis that has been used extensively for many industrial uses, as well as having nutritious value in the seeds.
The reality is that there are no ODs in France; there are only ophthalmologists, orthoptists and opticians. The ophthalmologists are medical doctors, and they can refract, examine the fundus and perform surgery. The orthoptists help the ophthalmologist manage strabismus and vision therapy, and the opticians make lenses and refract (they can refract with oversight of the ophthalmologist). This can happen if the prescription is less than 3 years old; if older, the patient has to consult a doctor. The optician also fits contact lenses. This seems similar to how eye care was in the U.S. about 100 years ago. In France there are 3,000 optometrists, but they are not legal; they work as opticians in shops or in clinics with a doctor.
I was also curious about the “French paradox”: how the dietary intake of the French is high calorie, high fat and high sugar (about 28% of the population is smokers – twice the U.S. rate), and their life span is much longer than that in the U.S. (14th for France, 36th for the U.S.). It is supposed to be due to their “smaller portion” of food and to their high intake of wine (specifically red wine). There was certainly plenty of wine available (at each break during the conference) as well as a plethora of cheeses and hors d’oeuvres. As I looked around the crowd, I don’t recall seeing anyone who was overweight. Yet the restaurants served portions that were as big as anywhere in the U.S. I guess the jury is still out as to why they live longer and don’t have the weight problems as those in the US.
So, santé to the French, and best of luck on progressing in eye care.