The “Eye Health and Optometry Workshop” was organized by Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine with the support of Muş Alparslan University. Experts in the field participated in the workshop, which addressed opticianry and preventive eye health. Questions such as ‘Who is an optometrist? What are the differences between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist? What should be done for optometry to be recognized as a profession in Turkey? What should be the scope of duties for opticians?’ were thoroughly discussed by the experts.
The workshop held at Üsküdar University NP Health Campus was moderated by Prof. Dr. Haydar Sur, Dean of Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine.
Dr. Orkun Özkan from Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology; Dr. Meryem Bulakçıbaşı from İskenderun State Hospital; Op. Dr. Ali Murat Hacımustafaoğlu from Medical Park; Lect. Begüm Genç from Üsküdar University Vocational School of Health Services Opticianry program; Lect. Optician Aykut Çağlı; Lect. Emin Aksan; Optometrist Yalçın Yıldırım; Optometrist Emre Doğan; and Zeynal Abidin Kocadağ, Faculty Secretary of the Faculty of Medicine, participated in the workshop.
Before starting their presentations, the participants provided brief information about themselves. After the key questions were identified, the questions were discussed.
Prof. Dr. Haydar Sur: “Our goal is to prepare a scientific and fact-based report”
Prof. Dr. Haydar Sur, Dean of Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine, pointed out that professional training in optical physics would be beneficial for the country in every respect. Sur stated: “While I was working as a doctor at the General Directorate of Basic Health Services in 1989, the general director made me a branch manager. I took on the role of branch manager of the Preventive Eye Health Branch Directorate at the Ministry. We conducted blindness screenings in Mardin and Diyarbakır in Turkey. Today, we will talk about producing a document that will be among the fundamental reports for a study to be conducted in Turkey on a topic like eye health. Our workshop will be transformed into an official report, including your names. Our goal today is to prepare a scientific and fact-based report. A workshop is a discussion table where everyone has a say. Training professionals in optical physics will benefit the country in every aspect.”
Dr. Meryem Bulakçıbaşı: “All diseases are related to the eyes”
Dr. Meryem Bulakçıbaşı from İskenderun State Hospital stated that the eye, as an organ, is 90 percent of the body's functional tool. Bulakçıbaşı said: “It’s not just the eye; the eye is a part of this matter. The eye, as an organ, is 90 percent of the body's functional tool. From my perspective, prescribing glasses currently is a huge burden for me. There is no patient without diabetes or hypertension. All diseases are related to the eyes. Writing eyeglass prescriptions is a waste of time for me.”
Optometrist Yalçın Yıldırım: “Eyeglass usage rate in Turkey is well below many developed countries”
Optometrist Yalçın Yıldırım, mentioning that one in two people in Europe wears glasses, pointed out that Turkey’s eyeglass usage rate is well below many developed countries. Yıldırım stated: “I want to show the eyeglass usage rates by country. In Turkey, eyeglass usage is estimated to be around 20 percent of the total population. Unfortunately, there is no definitive data on this. Europe's average is around 60 percent. In Europe, one in two people wears glasses. The eyeglass usage rate in Turkey is well below many developed countries. We believe the reason for this is not primarily our vision rate, but rather our inability to access glasses. Our suggestion is for opticians to work alongside ophthalmologists.”
Lect. Begüm Genç: “Opticianry courses must be taught properly”
Lect. Begüm Genç from Üsküdar University Vocational School of Health Services Opticianry program, who emphasized that opticianry students should receive their professional training fully equipped, said: “Opticianry courses must be taught properly. This will create strong opportunities for all opticianry students by experts in the field. They must receive their professional training fully equipped, otherwise, they may face difficulties in work processes after graduation.”
Lect. Optician Aykut Çağlı: "Optometrists and opticians should be employed in the public sector"
Lect. Optician Aykut Çağlı, who highlighted that the eye health of hundreds of thousands of people, especially children, can be brought under control with early diagnosis, stated: “Eye health screenings are of great importance worldwide. With early diagnosis, we can bring the eye health of hundreds of thousands of people, especially our children, under control. In this period when it is difficult to reach doctors and physicians, we have once again understood the importance of the eye screenings we have conducted. It is not possible to control a population of 85 million with ophthalmologists alone. The scope of our departments such as optometry and opticianry should be expanded, and optometrists and opticians should be employed in the public sector alongside ophthalmologists. This will provide significant added value to public eye health.”