Optometry is a health care profession that involves examining the eyes and applicable visual systems for defects or abnormalities as well as the correction of refractive error with glasses or contact lenses and treatment of eye diseases. Definition of optometry and optometrist The World Council of Optometry, World Health Organization and about 75 optometry organisations from over 40 countries have all over the world adopted the following definition, to be used to describe optometry and optometrist. Optometry is a healthcare profession that is autonomous, educated, and regulated (licensed/registered). Optometrists are the primary healthcare practitioners of the eye and visual system who provide comprehensive eye and vision care, which includes refraction and dispensing, detection/diagnosis and management of disease in the eye, and the rehabilitation of conditions of the visual system. Competencies • refractive error, • ocular disease management, • medical therapeutics, • binocular vision, • sports vision, • vision therapy, • contact lenses Laws of optometry Currently, optometrists can… 1. Prescribe Schedule II (hydrocodone products only), III, IV, and V narcotics (including oral antivirals, oral steroids, etc) 2. Order imaging, such as MRIs, CT scans, and x-rays 3. Remove foreign bodies 4. Perform post-operative care after 90 days with referral from a physician 5. Treat glaucoma with topicals and orals 6. Treat anterior uveitis 7. Perform dilation and irrigation 8. Perform scraping, debridement, or removal of corneal epithelium 9. Deliver injections limited to anaphylaxis Optometrists cannot… 1. Perform surgical procedures (Any procedure that involves mechanical or laser means to cut, alter, or infiltrate human tissue is included here. This restriction includes refractive surgery, any laser procedure, or chalazia removal/eyelid or conjunctival cyst lancing procedures, to name a few) (Colorado is one of a few states with verbage to explicitly exclude surgery-most statutes maintain that the license to practice optometry does not include the right to practice medicine) 2. Deliver injectables, except for in the case of anaphylaxis 3. Treat posterior uveitis 4. Prescribe Schedule I or II narcotics Acts of optometry 1. Health Professions Procedural Code The Health Professions Procedural Code shall be deemed to be part of this Act. Definitions  “College” means the College of Optometrists of Ontario; (“Ordre”)  “Health Professions Procedural Code” means the Health Professions Procedural Code set out in Schedule 2 to the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991; (“Code des professions de la santé”)  “member” means a member of the College; (“membre”)  “profession” means the profession of optometry; (“profession”).

1. Optometry & Orthoptics
Optometry definitions, laws, acts, optician, refractionist,
optometrist, orthoptist, technician, ophthalmologist, sub
specialties of your field
Maryam Fida
OptometryandOrthoptics

2. Optometry
Optometry is a health care profession that involves examining the eyes and applicable visual
systems for defects or abnormalities as well as the correction of refractive error with glasses or
contact lenses and treatment of eye diseases.
Definitionof optometry and optometrist
The World Council of Optometry, World Health Organization and about 75 optometry
organisations from over 40 countries have all over the world adopted the following definition,
to be used to describe optometry and optometrist.
Optometry is a healthcare profession that is autonomous, educated, and regulated
(licensed/registered).
Optometrists are the primary healthcare practitioners of the eye and visual systemwho
provide comprehensive eye and vision care, which includes refraction and dispensing,
detection/diagnosis and management of disease in the eye, and the rehabilitation of conditions
of the visual system.
Competencies
 refractive error,
 ocular disease management,
 medical therapeutics,
 binocular vision,
 sports vision,
 vision therapy,
 contact lenses
Laws of optometry
Currently, optometrists can…
1. Prescribe Schedule II (hydrocodone products only), III, IV, and V narcotics (including oral
antivirals, oral steroids, etc)
2. Order imaging, such as MRIs, CT scans, and x-rays
3. Remove foreign bodies
4. Perform post-operative care after 90 days with referral from a physician
5. Treat glaucoma with topicals and orals
6. Treat anterior uveitis
7. Perform dilation and irrigation
8. Perform scraping, debridement, or removal of corneal epithelium

3. 9. Deliver injections limited to anaphylaxis
Optometrists cannot…
1. Perform surgical procedures (Any
procedure that involves mechanical or laser
means to cut, alter, or infiltrate human
tissue is included here. This restriction
includes refractive surgery, any laser
procedure, or chalazia removal/eyelid or
conjunctival cyst lancing procedures, to
name a few) (Colorado is one of a few
states with verbage to explicitly exclude
surgery-most statutes maintain that the
license to practice optometry does not
include the right to practice medicine)
2. Deliver injectables, except for in the case of
anaphylaxis
3. Treat posterior uveitis
4. Prescribe Schedule I or II narcotics
Acts of optometry
1. Health Professions Procedural Code
The Health Professions Procedural Code shall be deemed to be part of this Act.
Definitions
 “College” means the College of Optometrists of Ontario; (“Ordre”)
 “Health Professions Procedural Code” means the Health Professions Procedural Code
set out in Schedule 2 to the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991; (“Code des
professions de la santé”)
 “member” means a member of the College; (“membre”)
 “profession” means the profession of optometry; (“profession”).
2. Scope of practice
The practice of optometry is the assessment of the eye and vision system and the diagnosis,
treatment and prevention of,
(a) disorders of refraction;

4. (b) sensory and oculomotor disorders and dysfunctions of the eye and vision system; and
(c) prescribed diseases.
3. Authorized acts
In the course of engaging in the practice of optometry, a member is authorized, subject to the
terms, conditions and limitations imposed on his or her certificate of registration, to perform
the following:
 Communicating a diagnosis identifying, as the cause of a person’s symptoms, a disorder
of refraction, a sensory or oculomotor disorder of the eye or vision systemor a
prescribed disease.
 Applying a prescribed form of energy.
 Prescribing drugs designated in the regulations.
 Prescribing or dispensing, for vision or eye problems, subnormal vision devices, contact
lenses or eye glasses
4. Council
The Council shall be composed of,
(a) at least eight and no more than nine persons who are members elected in accordance
with the by-laws;
(b) at least seven and no more than eight persons in Council who are not,
(i) members,
(ii) members of a College
(iii) members of a Council
5. President and vice-president
The Council shall have a President and Vice-President who shall be elected annually by the
Council from among the Council’s members.
6. Restricted titles
No person other than a member shall use the title “optometrist”, a variation or
abbreviation or an equivalent in another language.
7. Representation of qualification
No person other than a member shall hold himself or herself out as a person who is
qualified to practice as an optometrist or in a specialty of optometry.
8. Regulations
Subject to the approval of Council and with prior review by the Minister, the Council may
make regulations,

5. (a) specifying the drugs that a member may use in the course of engaging in the practice
of optometry;
(b) designating drugs
(c) regulating and governing the prescribing or using of drugs by members and ancillary
matters, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
(i) governing the purposes for which, or the circumstances under which, drugs may be
prescribed or used,
(ii) setting requirements respecting the prescribing or using of drugs, and
(iii) setting prohibitions
9. Rolling incorporation
If a regulation provided, a document adopted by reference shall be a reference to it as
amended from time to time after the making of the regulation.
10. By-laws
The Council may make by-laws respecting the qualifications, selection and terms of office of
Council members who are selected.

6. Optician
Opticians are technicians trained to
design, verify and fit eyeglass lenses and
frames, contact lenses, and other devices
to correct eyesight.
They use prescriptions supplied by
ophthalmologists or optometrists, but do
not test vision or write prescriptions for
visual correction.
Opticians are not permitted to diagnose
or treat eye diseases.
Refractionist
A person (as an optometrist) skilled in
the practical application of the laws
of refraction especially to the
determination of errors of refraction in
the eye.
OR
One skilled in determining the refracting
power of the eyes and correcting refrac
ting defects.
Orthoptist
Orthoptists are the experts in diagnosing and treating defects in eye movement and
problems with how the eyes work together, called binocular vision. These can be caused by
issues with the muscles around the eyes or defects in the nerves enabling the brain to
communicate with the eyes.

7.  The word Orthoptic comes from the Greek words orthos, meaning ‘straight’, and
optikos, meaning ‘relating to sight’. Orthoptists initially dealt with the condition
strabismus, which is a misalignment of the eyes.
 However, as the Orthoptic profession has developed, and continues to develop, they
have come to be recognised as the experts in a much wider variety of eye disorders.
Technician
Ophthalmology technicians, also
referred to as 'ophthalmic technicians',
provide assistance to ophthalmologists
performing eye care.
Their duties include
 conducting diagnostic tests,
 sending and retrieving lab work,
helping during eye exams and
 aiding during surgery.
Ophthalmologist
An ophthalmologist — Eye M.D. — is a medical or osteopathic doctor who specializes in eye and
vision care. Ophthalmologists differ fromoptometrists and opticians in their levels of training and
in what they can diagnose and treat. As a medical doctor who has completed collegeand at least
eight years of additional medicaltraining, an ophthalmologist is licensed to practice medicine and
surgery. An ophthalmologist diagnoses and treats alleye diseases, performs eye surgery and
prescribes and fits eyeglasses and contact lenses to correct vision problems. Many

8. ophthalmologists are also involved in scientificresearch on the causes and cures for eye diseases
and vision disorders.
SUBSPECIALISTS: ADDITIONALKNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING FOR SPECIFIC EYE NEEDS
While ophthalmologists are trained to care for all eye problems and conditions, some Eye M.D.s
specialize in a specific area of medicalor surgical eye care. This person is called a subspecialist. He
or she usually completes one or two years of additional, more in-depth training called a fellowship
in one of the main subspecialty areas such as glaucoma, retina, cornea, pediatrics, neurology and
plastic surgery, as wellas others. This added training and knowledge prepares an ophthalmologist
take care of more complex or specific conditions in certain areas of the eye or in certain groups of
patients.

9. Sub Specialties of Optometry and Orthoptics
Optometrists, formerly referred to as
opticians, are healthcare professionals who
focus on vision care. Their training focuses
on performing eye exams and recognizing
defects within the visual system.
Optometrists may be responsible for
conducting regular vision screenings,
monitoring conditions and managing and
prescribing contact lenses and glasses.
Orthoptists are also healthcare
professionals who focus on diagnosis and
non-surgical treatment of eye movement
disorders such as wandering eye
(strabismus), lazy eye (amblyopia) and
double vision (diplopia). They work closely
with ophthalmologists when it comes to
treating these disorders.
Low Vision Specialist
 Many optometrists and some
ophthalmologists have additional
credentials or specialization in low
vision testing, diagnosis, and
treatment, and are trained to
conduct low vision eye
examinations and prescribe
special low vision optical devices.
 A low vision specialist can determine
whether special optical and non-
optical devices, improved lighting, or
other types of specialized services
and equipment can help make the
best use of Pt’s remaining vision.
Subspecialties of Medical Optometry
Cornea and External Disease
Subspecialty includes the diagnosis, treatment and management of diseases of the cornea,
sclera, conjunctiva and eyelids. Includes the management of complex contact lenses cases.

10. Glaucoma
Subspecialty includes the diagnosis, treatment and management of glaucoma and other
disorders usually associated with increased intraocular pressure.
Neuro-Ophthalmic Disorders
Subspecialty includes the relationship between neurologic and ophthalmic diseases. Manages
local pathology affecting the optic nerve and visual pathways and the visual effects of traumatic
brain injury. Includes the evaluation and management of problems that involve the afferent
and efferent visual and visual-motor systems.
Retina
Subspecialty includes the diagnosis and management of various diseases that affect the retina
and vitreous.
Laser and Surgical Procedures
Includes laser therapy, radio frequency surgery, oculofacial biopsy, chalazion management and
other advanced procedures.