Optician India

National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021

Sh Ramachandran.P (Ram) (a leading eyecare industry expert and management consultant )

The NCAHP Act sets up a comprehensive regulatory framework to standardize and oversee allied and healthcare professions across India.

 Key Highlights:

• Ophthalmic Sciences Professional –i. Optometrist 2267, ii Ophthalmic Assistant 3256, iii Vision Technician 3256

Ophthalmic sciences professional is a person who studies eye related ailments and specializes in the management of disorders of eye and visual system, limited in scope and complexity as performed by a medical doctor having Optometrists with a minimum of four years of baccalaureate degree and Ophthalmic Assistants/Vision Technician with a minimum of two years recognized diploma program.

• Regulatory Bodies:
  - National Commission: Central authority responsible for setting policies, standards, and maintaining a Central Register.
  - Professional Councils: Ten councils, including one for Ophthalmic Sciences.
  - State Councils: Manage local implementation and state registers.

• Education and Practice Standards:
  - Establishes uniform educational standards, curricula, and accreditation processes.
  - Mandates registration; violations can lead to penalties including ?5 lakhs and imprisonment.

• Institutional Oversight:
  - New institutions or courses require prior approval from State Councils.

Optometry Curriculum 2025 – Competency Based Curriculum for Optometry released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The Optometry Curriculum 2025 reflects a modernization of optometric education, aligning with the standards set by the NCAHP Act.

 Curriculum Enhancements:

• Evidence-Based Practice:
  - Emphasizes integration of evidence-based methodologies.

• Comprehensive Training:
  - Covers ocular anatomy, visual optics, contact lenses, binocular vision, and public health.

• Practical Exposure:
  - Includes clinical training and externships.

• Soft Skills Development:
  - Focus on communication, ethics, and professional behavior.

• Research Orientation:
  - Encourages participation in research to foster inquiry and learning.

Implications for Optometry Professionals

• Standardization: Unifies education and practice standards.
• Professional Recognition: Enhances credibility and recognition.
• Global Alignment: Aligns with international standards.
• Quality Assurance: Ensures high standards through assessments and accreditation.

Way forward – Point of View

The Optometry Curriculum addresses the long pending need for a uniform curriculum across the country, and it is welcome move. There must be a similar curriculum drafted and firmed up for Vision Technicians & Ophthalmic Technicians nationwide as they play a crucial role in supporting eye care goals for the nation.

While looking at the supply side of the Optometrists and shortage to address the rural segment of the population we need to learn more from globally renowned institutions to  such as Aravind Eye Care, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Sankara Nethralaya , Dr Shroff Charity Eye Hospital, Sankara Eye Foundation  and the effective way to reach the rural masses which many corporations fail to understand the complexities. It is also equally important to rope in the Opticians community across the country to get their perspective and organizations like Vision 2020- The Right to Sight India and get their view in the policy making.

It is pertinent to look at WHO Specs 2030 which aims to address Uncorrected Refractive Error globally. Thereby the path ahead in India would be to collaborate with all stake holders in the eye care domain including tech companies and come up with a solution to increase the effective coverage across the country by the year 2030.