Practising Optometry in Australia

Optometrists Registration Board of Qld	Optometrists Registration Board of NT	Optometry Council of Australia & New Zealand

General comparison with optometry in other countries The optometric profession in Australia is well-established and highly developed. The scope of practice, the legislative and social status of the profession, and the expertise of practitioners is considered to be equivalent to those in Great Britain and Canada. Australia and these countries are all served by a well-developed optometric profession. Registration of optometrists All optometrists in Australia are required to be registered in the State or Territory in which they practise. It is illegal for an unregistered person (other than a medical practitioner) to practise optometry anywhere in Australia. Optometrists must apply to the Registration Board in the State or Territory in which they wish to practice. Registration in one State or Territory of an overseas qualified optometrist automatically entitles an optometrist to registration in any other State and Territory via "mutual recognition", regardless of their original qualifications. Optometrists registered in New Zealand can also gain registration in Australia via "Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition". Acceptance of foreign qualifications Currently the registration authorities in all States and Territories accept graduates of Australian optometry courses for registration. Graduates from the University of Auckland are also eligible for registration. All other optometrists are required to pass an examination before being registered. The examination is conducted by the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ), and is accepted in all jurisdictions. Further information is available from OCANZ. These regulations are subject to change and it is wise for any prospective applicant for registration to contact the Registrar of the Board in the State in which he or she wishes to practise. Scope of clinical practice Australian optometrists' basic range of clinical skills and procedures include refraction, binocular vision tests, ophthalmoscopy, slit lamp biomicroscopy, tonometry, supply and management of spectacles and contact lens patients. Optometrists in Australia employ ophthalmic drugs to facilitate diagnostic procedures, using anaesthetics in performing tonometry, mydriatics where required for internal examinations, and cycloplegics. Optometrists in most States are not currently permitted to use other drugs, although optometrists in Victoria and Tasmania are able, subject to further training, to use and prescribe a range of therapeutic drugs. Specialist areas of optometric practice Australian optometrists also involve themselves in what may be thought of as special areas of interest in optometric practice. Such areas include: the specialised vision care of the elderly and the very young; research into all aspects of vision; care of the low vision and blind patient; assessment and care of patients with perceptual problems; visual ergonomics; counselling on subjects such as occupational vision; educational problems that are visually related; visual hygiene and eye safety; visual and occupational safety screening and implementation of occupational vision programs; lighting design; research and development in optics and the practical application of the research findings and many matters concerning visibility (road signs, signals, etc). Employment Most Australian optometrists are self-employed or partners in private practice. Most of the remaining optometrists work as employees of other optometrists. Unlike some other countries, optometrists in Australia have not yet been utilised to any great extent in hospitals and similar institutions. Most Australian optometrists make occasional domiciliary visits for bedridden patients. Optometrists' practices are similar to those of Australian doctors or dentists and are usually located in or near shopping areas. Over time Australian optometrists have come to see their major role of being that of a primary health care provider, in contrast to earlier this century when they promoted themselves primarily as sellers and suppliers of spectacles. Most optometrists' attitudes stem from their desire to be and be seen to be an independently-practising health care professional. Medicare Virtually all Australian optometrists have agreed to participate as providers of optometric care for the Federal Government's universal health insurance known as Medicare. Participation in this scheme also requires adherence to standards of practice and limitations on consultation fees that may be charged. The Australian Federal Government recognised the profession's health care role in 1975 by including optometry in the Medicare program. Optometry is the only profession other than Medicine to have its consultative services covered by Medicare benefits. Medicare Education In Australia optometrists are educated to degree level at one of the three institutes conducting optometric courses - the University of New South Wales, University of Melbourne and the Queensland University of Technology. Each course is of four or five years' duration and leads to a Bachelor degree in optometry. Teaching in the courses is undertaken by optometrists, doctors and senior academic staff from various faculties. Practical as well as theoretical training is involved. Students must examine patients under the supervision of experienced clinicians in general optometric and specialised clinics. A demonstrated competence in clinical skills is a prerequisite of graduation. Subjects studied early in the training of optometrists include physics, chemistry, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, anatomy of the eye and optics. The later stages of the education include study of pathology of the eye and the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of vision. Particular attention is paid to ensuring that every optometrist is competent in the detection and diagnosis of eye disease. Optometrists may proceed to higher degrees (MSc, MOptom, PhD) at each of the schools of optometry. Research in optometry and vision is also carried out at several other institutions associated with the universities - the Optometric Vision Research Foundation, the Victorian College of Optometry, the Cornea and Contact Lens Research Unit (CCLRU), the Collaborative Research Centre for Eye Research and Technology (CRCERT) and the National Vision Research Institute. These institutions in the main are financed by donations from members of the profession, associated industries and Federal and State Governments and instrumentalities.

General comparison with optometry in other countries

The optometric profession in Australia is well-established and highly developed. The scope of practice, the legislative and social status of the profession, and the expertise of practitioners is considered to be equivalent to those in Great Britain and Canada. Australia and these countries are all served by a well-developed optometric profession.

Registration of optometrists

All optometrists in Australia are required to be registered in the State or Territory in which they practise. It is illegal for an unregistered person (other than a medical practitioner) to practise optometry anywhere in Australia.

Optometrists must apply to the Registration Board in the State or Territory in which they wish to practice. Registration in one State or Territory of an overseas qualified optometrist automatically entitles an optometrist to registration in any other State and Territory via "mutual recognition", regardless of their original qualifications. Optometrists registered in New Zealand can also gain registration in Australia via "Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition".

Acceptance of foreign qualifications

Currently the registration authorities in all States and Territories accept graduates of Australian optometry courses for registration. Graduates from the University of Auckland are also eligible for registration. All other optometrists are required to pass an examination before being registered. The examination is conducted by the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ), and is accepted in all jurisdictions. Further information is available from OCANZ.

These regulations are subject to change and it is wise for any prospective applicant for registration to contact the Registrar of the Board in the State in which he or she wishes to practise.

Scope of clinical practice

Australian optometrists' basic range of clinical skills and procedures include refraction, binocular vision tests, ophthalmoscopy, slit lamp biomicroscopy, tonometry, supply and management of spectacles and contact lens patients.

Optometrists in Australia employ ophthalmic drugs to facilitate diagnostic procedures, using anaesthetics in performing tonometry, mydriatics where required for internal examinations, and cycloplegics. Optometrists in most States are not currently permitted to use other drugs, although optometrists in Victoria and Tasmania are able, subject to further training, to use and prescribe a range of therapeutic drugs.

Specialist areas of optometric practice

Australian optometrists also involve themselves in what may be thought of as special areas of interest in optometric practice. Such areas include: the specialised vision care of the elderly and the very young; research into all aspects of vision; care of the low vision and blind patient; assessment and care of patients with perceptual problems; visual ergonomics; counselling on subjects such as occupational vision; educational problems that are visually related; visual hygiene and eye safety; visual and occupational safety screening and implementation of occupational vision programs; lighting design; research and development in optics and the practical application of the research findings and many matters concerning visibility (road signs, signals, etc).

Employment

Most Australian optometrists are self-employed or partners in private practice. Most of the remaining optometrists work as employees of other optometrists. Unlike some other countries, optometrists in Australia have not yet been utilised to any great extent in hospitals and similar institutions. Most Australian optometrists make occasional domiciliary visits for bedridden patients.

Optometrists' practices are similar to those of Australian doctors or dentists and are usually located in or near shopping areas. Over time Australian optometrists have come to see their major role of being that of a primary health care provider, in contrast to earlier this century when they promoted themselves primarily as sellers and suppliers of spectacles. Most optometrists' attitudes stem from their desire to be and be seen to be an independently-practising health care professional.

Medicare

Virtually all Australian optometrists have agreed to participate as providers of optometric care for the Federal Government's universal health insurance known as Medicare. Participation in this scheme also requires adherence to standards of practice and limitations on consultation fees that may be charged.

The Australian Federal Government recognised the profession's health care role in 1975 by including optometry in the Medicare program. Optometry is the only profession other than Medicine to have its consultative services covered by Medicare benefits.

Medicare

Education

In Australia optometrists are educated to degree level at one of the three institutes conducting optometric courses - the University of New South Wales, University of Melbourne and the Queensland University of Technology. Each course is of four or five years' duration and leads to a Bachelor degree in optometry.

Teaching in the courses is undertaken by optometrists, doctors and senior academic staff from various faculties. Practical as well as theoretical training is involved. Students must examine patients under the supervision of experienced clinicians in general optometric and specialised clinics. A demonstrated competence in clinical skills is a prerequisite of graduation.

Subjects studied early in the training of optometrists include physics, chemistry, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, anatomy of the eye and optics. The later stages of the education include study of pathology of the eye and the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of vision.

Particular attention is paid to ensuring that every optometrist is competent in the detection and diagnosis of eye disease.

Optometrists may proceed to higher degrees (MSc, MOptom, PhD) at each of the schools of optometry.

Research in optometry and vision is also carried out at several other institutions associated with the universities - the Optometric Vision Research Foundation, the Victorian College of Optometry, the Cornea and Contact Lens Research Unit (CCLRU), the Collaborative Research Centre for Eye Research and Technology (CRCERT) and the National Vision Research Institute. These institutions in the main are financed by donations from members of the profession, associated industries and Federal and State Governments and instrumentalities.