Optometry as a profession in Nigeria has had ups and downs just like every other profession.
In the health sector, Optometry is one of the relegated disciplines, this is generally because an average Nigerian recognizes the medical profession as the ultimate health care disciple.
Even in basic sciences in primary education as children, we were taught that medical doctors were trained to manage all health challenges.
The office of an Optometrist has overtime been undermined and overlooked. The household name for eye care providers is the optician and the ophthalmologist.
In practice, from my little experience, Optometrists are very necessary authorities in eye care. With adequate referrals and management, an Optometrist has been able to treat and manage eye problems and to a great extent, detect systemic health conditions.
In Nigeria, optometry as a profession is not given the recognition it deserves, this could be due to the competitive nature of other health care providers within and outside the profession. Other professions in the health sector tend to encroach into eye care. Because of the general knowledge of the average Nigerian, ocular related conditions, as well as vision anomalies, are reported to the general medical practitioner.
Most health centers don’t have consulting Optometrist. And finding a suitable place for graduating Optometrist to commence their internship is always hard.
A lot will have to be done to bring Optometry to a standard level as in other countries. A lot of things need to be gotten right as regards to the optometry practice in Nigeria starting from the uniformity of curriculum amongst all schools offering Optometry.
The governing bodies of Optometry have to be willing to fight for what’s right for the practitioners, we can’t continue paying to and heeding the rules of bodies that do not have our interest at heart.
I look forward to the day I will be proud to be called an Optometrist and not mistaken for an optician.
thanks for sharing this doc.
The neglect optometrists are experiencing is Nigeria should not be expressed out of proportion. It is so for every evolving endeavor. Going by the statistic of patronage one can say that the profession has made an in road. What needs to be done is to bring the services closer to the people. Ensure your members are in every village. In the absence of your members the patronage goes to any drug seller. Nigerians are becoming well educated as to who is able to take adequate care of their health needs. Where their is an optometry no one will take his eye problem to a general medical practitioner.
Today in Nigeria the Optometry profession is well known. The Federal Government of Nigeria has recently integrated primary eye health care into the primary healthcare system and optometry is conspicuously part of the professionals to drive it. My advise to practitioners is that expertise should be demo started deeply. The major difference between Optometrists and Ophthalmologists in Nigeria is performing surgical procedure. In the United State of America this difference has been dissolved. Optometrists are involved in surgical procedures. Optometrists should be courageous to initiate treatment plans for ailments such as glaucoma, diabetes , HBP etc. They should curtail referrals to Ophthalmologists. Ailments medications can address, Optometrists should show strength before making referral. I believe government hospital soonbegin to open eye sections in all established primary health care centre. Thus invariably will mark the beginning of the blossom of optometry profession we are all looking forward to