Eyecare: Do You Care or Who Cares?
As someone who's living in Singapore, we are all occupied with the struggles of keeping up with the rising cost of living. We tend to forsake our health - physically, mentally and emotionally. Here's the strange thing about us though. Many would rather spend on tech products every 1-2 years - even if our gadgets are still working fine, than to spend on our eye health. For our eyes, we will most likely wait for blurred vision or tired eyes before going for an eye check. In fact, adults are advised to have their eyes checked once a year and for children, once every 6 months due to instability. Having regular eye checks can reveal a story of your eye health and even your general health!
In an article from MOH, we are named the Myopia capital of the WORLD. That's how severe the state of our eyes are. We do notice that there are more things to be done for our younger population, especially with the implementation of tech and gadgets for their studies and work in the near future.
At this current juncture in the nation's move to handle our eyes, Health Promotion Board(HPB) have been conducting yearly eye screenings in primary schools. We have subsidies for lenses done by Essilor and an additional $30 off from the frame for those who needs to get a prescription eyewear after screening. The Ministry of Health(MOH) also conducts Project Silver Screen for our elderly - where eyes, ears and mouth screenings are done. With the government subsidies based on CHAS, they are motivated to go for the screenings and because of that, we Eyecare Professionals (ECP) are able to make a proper diagnosis and manage the treatment accordingly. Some eye conditions such as cataract can be dealt with earlier.
These are certainly positive changes to address eye health issues in Singapore, yet there are more to be done, especially in terms of educating the public. I remember doing a survey on the Public Perception of the different ECP roles back in my Final Year Project in 2014 and the results were quite disappointing. As I went into the workforce and talk to my customers, some still don't know the difference between an optician and an optometrist! Sometimes, this could affect the efficiency of the healthcare system. For example, when our loved one is experiencing vision blur that comes without pain, he or she can be brought to the optometrist for an eye examination in optical shops at the malls nearby, not A&E or a Lasik Clinic. This saves a lot of your time and money!
So before you care for your eyes, you'll need to know who cares for your eyes. So if you think that going to clinics would be better for your eye check, it comes down to the skills of the ECP who check your eyes, not the qualification of the doctor. Here's a brief run-through of the different roles of ECP:
Ophthalmologists (Specialised Doctor)
Consultation at hospitals/clinics and perform eye surgeries
Can assess overall eye health
Can prescribe drugs that allows them to treat eye conditions such as conjunctivitis, uveitis and even myopia.
Do not check for your prescription for your glasses. Yes, the one that checked for prescription at clinics is as qualified as the ones in optical shops. Ophthalmologists only acknowledge the prescriptions in their memo.
Manage and monitor your eye health to ensure recovery.
Opticians
Can adjust your frames. They are the skillful technicians to cut the lens into the frame and make sure your glasses fits you well.
Cannot prescribe drugs
Some are certified to check prescription for those 8 years old and above.
Some are certified to prescribe contact lens.
Optometrists
Are the bridge to make eye care more affordable and less time-consuming.
Can do all the roles above except for eye surgeries and prescribing drugs without supervision.
Check prescription for all ages albeit the younger ones might need drugs(with supervision) to relax their eyes.
Assess eye muscles and advise on vision therapy if necessary.
Prescribe Contact Lenses.
Now that you know SOME of the roles, the rule of thumb is this - if it's not surgery you're doing or medication you need, go to an optical shop and have an eye examination there first. Lesser waiting time and more affordable! Or better yet, we come to you.
| About True Sight |
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