Why I'm Not an Optometrist: Part II

Pretty Much Sums it Up

Yesterday I embarked on a two-part post about why I chose to become an ophthalmologist instead of an optometrist, or at least to discuss two hot topics in my mind. Yesterday was about ophthalmologists being well-rounded physicians, not just eye specialists.

The other hot topic as of late? Practicing privileges. Some people have them; some people don't. And it always seems those who don't have them, want them. Generally, specific practice privileges are given to those who have undergone the complete and appropriate training path to obtain them. And then there are times when those without, push hard to obtain the privileges they don't deserve.

For most physicians, this is best illustrated by advanced practitioners (basically a nurse with a masters, sometimes doctoral, degree) wanting to perform procedures on patients. One specific example is them wanting to perform colonoscopies. How many of them have done a three-year fellowship to become proficient at this procedure, and ultimately know what to do when things go terribly wrong? None. If that is your dream in life, go to medical school, do an internal medicine residency, and follow it with a GI fellowship.

For ophthalmologists, the competition obviously comes with optometrists (from here on referred to as optoms for short). Optoms are not trained in school to do laser surgery, or any kind of surgery for that matter. And yet, there is a huge push by them to gain practice privileges doing so. They recently gained such privileges in the state of Kentucky, along with few other simple office procedures which involve cutting skin. And while one may argue that it's not like they are doing cataract surgery, all they need is s stepping stone. The reality is, they have a much bigger, stronger, and richer lobby on Capitol Hill than ophthalmologists.

Sadly, they have to learn how to do these procedures from someone. And that someone is probably an ophthalmologist. Probably well-paid by the optom lobby. They have shot themselves and their kind in the foot, and shall be banned from any circle of ophthalmologists I am in.

Clearly not all optoms will want to join the surgical ban wagon and will just keep doing what they always have. They understand that doing such procedures is an added liability; and them being what they are, if something were to go wrong, the level of potential malpractice suit is likely to be significant. I just hope insurance companies covering both the patient and the doctor see it the same way.