Optometry Education
Enhancing Community Eye Care
Lead: Assistant Professor Tham Yih Chung
Co-Lead: Assistant Professor Janice Lam
Co-Lead: Dr Blanche Lim Xiaohong
In the face of rising visual impairment burden accelerated by rapid ageing and the ‘myopia endemic’ in Singapore’s population, new innovative care models are needed to enable appropriate delivery of eye care services to those who need it to optimise the use of existing health resources.
Optometrists are first-line eye care providers and can play integral roles in these new care models. For instance, optometrists will be integrated into new co-management models, working hand-in-hand with ophthalmologists, such as triaging clinics, step-down care services, “virtual” clinics which potentially can be implemented in and outside the hospital environment.
There are currently 1,300 registered optometrists in Singapore, representing a large pool of ophthalmic care expertise which could yet play a bigger role in our future eye care system. With targeted refresher and upskilling efforts, optometrists can further take on a more expansive and important role as primary eye care providers in our health landscape.
In this regard, we strive to upskill the optometry profession through series of continuing education programs and specialised certifications. These tailored specialised training programs would entail a broad range of topics including myopia management, low vision, post-cataract surgery refraction management, and co-management of stable glaucoma and retinal diseases. Upon completion of each course, participants will gain up-to-date knowledge and skills in their chosen field that will enable successful delivery of new co-management community eye care models. Altogether, this education pillar along with the other pillars in Centre for Innovation and Precision Eye Health, will collectively contribute towards promotion of community eye health, realizing MOHs vision of “beyond hospital to community” and “beyond quality to value”.