Optometrists are calling on ophthalmologists to let them do more to relieve strain in New Zealand’s struggling public hospital eye departments. New Zealand public health eye services are centred on specialist ophthalmologists working in hospitals. New Zealand Association of Optometrists national director Lesley Frederikson said optometrists needed access to public DHB funding, and ophthalmologists need to be more open to working with optometrists. Advocates for change say there is scope for optometrists to work in hospitals, and for optometrists to be funded for public work in the community. Community-based optometrists needed to have collegial relationships with ophthalmologists, and needed some hospital experience.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 11, 2016 17:12 UTC