indian optometry federation place of b.sc. (hon.) in ophthalmic techniques. this means that aiims...

March - April 2014 Newsletter ISSUE 18

Indian Optometry Federation

www.indianoptometryfederation.orgwww.indianoptometryfederation.org

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has released its prospectus for the academic year 2014-15. It clearly states that Bachelor of Optometry is now a 4 year course. It has a compulsory 1 year internship. A full detailed report is on the last page (Page 6) of this newsletter.

Amity University, Gurgaon held a 3 day conference from 5th to 7th April 2014 at their university campus. The 3 day event had many panels and talk held by senior optometrists from all over the country.

Some of the speakers included Optom. Ajit Bhardwaj (president, IOF), Optom. Rajbir Berwal (secretary, IOF), (Optom. Rajesh Wadhwa (founder president of IOF), Optom. Lakshmi Shinde, Optom. Nilesh Thite and Optom. Yeshwant Saoji.

The event was attended by many optometrists and students from all over the country.

NEWS & EVENTS

AIIMS makes Optometry a 3+1 year course

AMI I CON

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World Optometry Day Celebrations

World Optometry Day was celebrated on the 23rd of March 2014. The day was celebrated by many member associations of the Indian Optometry Federation. Many different types of events took place all over the country. These included road shows, seminars, vision screening camps and campaigns to increasing awareness of Optometry in India. Here are a few reports of such events from across India.

IOF and its representatives celebrated World Optometry Day by holding an event at Jantar-Mantar, New Delhi. The event was attended by many members of the governing board of the Indian Optometry Federation. Jantar-Mantar has been in the news because it has become a place for people to go and show their grievances. By holding an event there, the aim was to get a lot of media attention to the cause of Optometrists. There was a speech by the IOF president Optom. Ajit Bhardwaj and a small rally. Overall the event was a great success and a lot of awareness was achieved because of it.

IOF banner at Jantar Mantar IOF President, Optom. Ajit Bhardwaj giving a speech

Students and Optometrists at the event Rally at the event led by Optom. Sanjay Mishra, Treasurer IOF

www.indianoptometryfederation.org

Indian Optometry Federation March - April 2014 Newsletter Issue 18

Promoting Optometry as a career at the Times Education Boutique 2014

IVI participated in the Times Education Boutique (TEB) held in Pune on 12 - 13 April. IVI’s stall at this major annual career and education exhibition aimed to promote Optometry as a rewarding career option among students. Representatives from the optometry department of two local institutes participated in the pro-motion and interacted with prospective students, teachers and parents to discuss available options for pursuing optometry as a career.Following the success from participation at the TEB last year, IVI is participating in four cities this year, including in Pune, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad.

Career Counselling with IVI Online

The IVI Online Career Counselling Program will provide opportunity for Optometry students to learn about possible career options in Optometry and to get their queries answered from experts in the fields of: clini-cal optometry & research, academics, entrepreneurship and optical Industry.

Click here to register: http://indiavisioninstitute.org/Upcoming80page.aspx

Capacity Building Programs for optical counter sales personnel

IVI is conducting nine capacity building programs for the optical counter sales personnel of Eyegear Optics India Pvt. Ltd. (EOIPL) managed by Ben Franklin Opticians from March to May, 2014.

The sixth workshop was attended by 25 optical retail sales staff of Ben Franklin Opticians, conducted at Visakhapatnam on 13 April 2014.

The one-day comprehensive hands-on capacity building program was intended to build the technical skills, knowledge and soft skills required for understanding refraction, prescriptions and optical dispensing leading to effective outcomes in technical handling and customer satisfaction. Role-plays about counter-customer handling aspects, objection handling, bifocal to progressive conversion, dispensing technical aspects and customer satisfaction were conducted.

31st Low Vision Awareness Program (LAP)

IVI, in collaboration with LVPEI, organized a day long Low Vision Awareness Program on the 11 April 2014 at LVPEI. Over 70 practitioners and students attended the program held at the LVPEI KAR campus. The program was simultaneously webcast live to KVC, Vijayawada, and the Vishakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar campuses of GMRV.

Following the morning session, a hands-on session was conducted by respective faculty at their centres. LVPEI faculty from its Vision Rehabilitation Centres organized a series of didactic lectures on low vision rehabilitation and a two-hour hands-on workshop.

Participants found the program to be a very enriching experience with an opportunity to be introduced to a wide range of low vision devices.

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Shri Raja Ram Memorial Eye Hospital Society Banda Optometry Research & Training Institute, Banda celebrated World Optometry Day by conducting vision screening camps at various schools. School screening programs revealed that among 100 students, 40 suffer of refractive errors. Vitamin A deficiency is also found especially among the children in the rural areas.

A road show was also organized by the students under guidance of Optom. Pankaj Mishra, senior optometrist Shri RajaRam Me-morial Eye Hospital for the general awareness of the common people. The theme of this Road show was Proud to be an Optom-etrist. People were made to know about the world Optometry & Optometrist by means of various posters, Banners and slogans.

Mr Ashok Shivhare, the organizing secretary of 36th AIOC & treasurer ( Indian optometry Association ) advised people to refer to an optometrist as soon as they feel any refractive error or any kind of vision impairment.

Karnataka Optometry Association held an optometric education programme hosted at Sankara College of Optometry, Bangalore

In Tamilnadu, “World Optometry Day” was celebrated with a “WALKATHON” at Besant Nagar Beach, Chennai. All Professional Associations in Tamilnadu, Alumni School of Optometry Association (ASOA), Tamilnadu Government Ophthalmic Assistants As-sociation (TNGOAA), Optometric Association Tamil Nanbarkal (OATN). The event was held under the Banner of “Indian Optometry Federation”. Around 400 students from all optometry colleges in Chennai attended the event.



World Optometry Day CelebrationsDr. Shroff’s Charity eye Hospital (SCEH) celebrated the World Optometry Week from 19th March to 23rd March 2014 in associa-tion with Indian Optometric Association (IOA) & Transitions. The prime objective of this celebration was to spread the awareness about the role of Optometrist in the eye care field among the general population.

On 19th march 2014, posters and Banners were put up in different areas of hospital spreading the message of role of optom-etrists in eye care set up in the prevention of Avoidable Blindness.

Later in the day, an Activity Quiz Competition was organized comprising of All Employees, Senior Optoms, Junior Optometrists and all trainee Optometrists of Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital. This Event was coordinated by Mr. Brajesh, Mr. Jico & Mr. Sap-tarshi.

On 20th March 2014, there was a model presentation competition. Theme of the competitions was ‘Role of optometrist in Eye care to create awareness among General population’.

Later in the day, a Debate Competition was organized. Topic for the debate was ‘Optometry Profession- A right Choice or A wrong Decision’. The event was judged by Mr. Anil Tyagi (IOA), Mr. Sanjay Mishra and Mr. A.K.Singh. The judges also expresses their views in regards to the topic. SCEH Optometry in charge Mr Prem Kumar Singh also expressed his ideas regarding optometry profession in India.

On 21st and 22nd March 2014, various in house events were held. These included small games like a treasure hunt for the resident Optometrists.

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On 23rd March 2014, (World optometry Day) SCEH optometrist celebrated the optometry day in association with Transitions & IOA.

6 Teams were divided to visit different areas of Delhi-NCR to different Optical Shops. Their goal was to meet the Optometrists with their idea of Healthy Sight Counselling and the Role of Optometrist in Eye care. The teams also aimed to create awareness of role of optometrist in eye care. A leaflet was provided the Optometrists which contained information about healthy sight coun-selling and a 10 point checklist for an optometrist to be incorporated in their routine practice.


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Ami-I-Con 2014 at Amity UniversityDepartment of Optometry and Vision Science, Amity Medical School, Amity University Haryana hosted a two and a half day conference “AMI –I –CON 2014” on 5th , 6th and 7th April 2014 at its Manesar campus. The aim for the conference was to update the knowledge of attending optometry students, academicians and practitioners across the region so that they can provide better eye care services. The main objective of the conference was to bring together all young leaders in the profession to initiate optometry education and to showcase its activities, achievements and developments to date.

The event was also marked the celebration of the World optometry day in the colleges across the North region. The initiative has successfully brought colleges, the industry and academicians together. There were 238 optometry students, 45 practitioners and 35 optometry Faculty members from 14 optometry colleges from all parts of country.



Visit

www.facebook.com/pages/Indian-Optometry-Federation/169403076479348Or by searching for Indian Optometry Federation

Find us on Facebook at:

Mailing addressIOF, 8 Ring Road, Lajpat Nagar IV, New Delhi 110024 Facebook: Indian Optometry Federation

Associate Members

Members of Indian Optometry Federation

IOF acknowledges support from

Indian Optometric AssociationNational Ophthalmic AssociationDelhi Optometrists Association (Under Consideration)Eastern India Optometric AssociationGraduate Optometrist Association Government Optometrists AssociationHaryana Ophthalmic Assistant’s AssociationOphthalmic AssociationOptometric Association of India

Optometrist SocietyOptometry Association, UPOptometry Counsel of India (Under Consideration)Punjab Ophthalmic Officer’s AssociationWest Bengal Association of OptometristsTamil Nadu Govt Ophthalmic Assistants AssociationDiploma Optometrist Welfare Foundation

The Indian Optometry Federation is a national registered body having membership of most registered Optometry Associations from various Indian States, and also of National Ophthalmic Associations. The Federation is a united voice for Indian optometry and represents approx. 40 000 optometrists serving in Government, private and independent organizations.

For Private Circulation Only

Membership to IOF is now open. Please visit:www.indianoptometryfederation.org/attachments/Indian-Optometry-Federation-Membership-Form-V2.pdf

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AIIMS Makes Optometry a Four Year Course

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has recently released its prospectus for the Academic Year 2014-15. In this prospectus AIIMS has specified that the name of the course for Optometry will now be Bachelor of Optometry instead of the previous name which was Bachelor of ophthalmic techniques. Also included in the prospectus is information that Bachelor of Optometry is a 3+1 year course. This means that it will be a three year course with a 1 year mandatory internship.

With everybody’s efforts and especially that of Mr Pawan Kumar (Coordinator & in-charge of Optometry Academics), administration of Dr. R. P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi has accepted the proposal of changing its Optometry course’s nomenclature to Bachelor of Optometry in place of B.Sc. (Hon.) in Ophthalmic Techniques. This means that AIIMS will now follow same nomenclature as all other optometry colleges in the country. This uniformity is important for bringing all optometrists under one banner of Optometry Council of India (OCI).

This brings even more uniformity to the courses followed in the country. Once AIIMS adopts the new course name and duration, it will become the gold standard that all new and old optometry colleges need to follow.

Optometry degree courses run by the government universities (like, IGNOU, Government Medical College, Chandigarh, Medical University, Rohtak, etc.) Regard AIIMS as a standard in drafting Optometry courses in India.

indian optometry federation place of b.sc. (hon.) in ophthalmic techniques. this means that aiims...

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