11/14/2017 0 Comments A Response to Our Piece on Toys 'R' UsOn October 3, 2017, we sent out an email titled, "What Can We Learn from Toys 'R' Us?" The purpose of this piece was to point out how fast things can truly change in the world of business and, hopefully, prompt us all to ask some questions about our own businesses. If you missed the article, click here to catch up. Shortly after the email was sent, a miracle happened: One of you actually replied with some feedback! (In all seriousness, your thoughts and opinions are something we truly value and we would love to see more emails like this in the future!) The response below was written by Dr. Sam Pierce, who as you know, is the current President-Elect of the American Optometric Association (AOA). We found it insightful and, with Dr. Pierce's permission, wanted to share it with all of you.
"First of all, great article! I rarely respond, but feel compelled---so here goes... What it means to be a doctor of optometry is evolving at the speed of technology. We are no longer the Norman Rockwell painting of the optometrist struggling to fit a child with a spectacle frame. We utilize technicians and staff to do 90% of what optometrists were doing 30-40 years ago. Diagnostic equipment, from retinal scanners and OCTs to handheld "dropless" IOP measurements has taken the profession from data collectors to data interpreters. The actual face-to-face time with a patient has gone from an hour or longer (Remember the 90-minute eye exams in optometry school?) to ten minutes or less, as the patient spends more and more time with office technicians and staff. Even as we have evolved to this level, a new evolution is taking place. More and more of our patients are seeking alternative ways to acquire their contact lenses and spectacles outside of the traditional "brick and mortar optical dispensaries" which could very well render them obsolete in the coming decades. Already we are struggling to figure out what to with technologies that allow consumers to get an online refraction and glasses without ever seeing an eye doctor. Even as we try to safeguard the public with federal and state legislation to govern such technologies, the technology itself is outpacing the legislation. The VA system is already moving in a direction of more telemedicine and less direct interaction with patients. The VA TECS (Technology-based Eye Care Screening) program, a pilot project in the Atlanta area, could very well go nationwide at any time. This program incorporates a remote technician performing autorefraction and fundus photos. The autorefraction findings can be used to generate a spectacle prescription. Yes, the AOA is fighting to keep this from happening, but the fact remains the future of medicine and optometry is changing. So where does this leave the "average optometrist" in 2017? While it is hard to predict the future, there are some things we know for certain: 1. The population is aging as the baby boomers reach retirement age. 2. The demand for eye care will grow accordingly. 3. Ophthalmology numbers remain flat and some evidence supports the notion they are decreasing. 4. Optometry is perfectly poised to meet the visual needs of an aging population. In order to do this we must be willing to do the following: 1. Expand our scope of practice to allow for more advanced procedures and utilization of future technologies. 2. Practice to the full scope of our education and licensure. 3. Continue/start to personally advocate for the profession by supporting our state association (ALOA) and our national association (AOA). 4. Continue/start to support our state PAC (ALOA-PAC) and our federal PAC (AOA-PAC) as well as your local congressional representative and senator. What we CANNOT do is: 1. Pretend change is not inevitable. 2. Practice optometry at the Norman Rockwell level. 3. Rest on the laurels of past legislative victories. 4. Do nothing. Yes, the definition of Optometry is evolving, and the healthcare landscape is changing, but the future is bright and I firmly believe our greatest days are ahead of us." We greatly appreciate Dr. Pierce taking the time to provide such thoughtful insight! Please let us know if you have any questions or comments!
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