For almost 15 years, Grete Ljung Andresen has struggled with floods of tears. When she rides a bike or goes outside, she constantly feels that the tears start to roll. – I like being outside, but it’s really bothersome when it looks like I’m walking around crying. Grete Ljung Andresen is happy with the help she received from the optician. Photo: Helena Rønning / news The Tønsberg woman was recommended by a friend to see an optician. – If I hadn’t booked an appointment with an optician, I would have had to stand in a long queue at the ophthalmologist, says Grete Ljung Andresen. Didn’t know opticians are authorized healthcare personnel – I’ve been in for one treatment. The optician flushed my tear ducts and that has helped, she smiles. A working group in the Norwegian Opticians’ Association has taken a closer look at how the massive ophthalmologist queue can be cut. – Many, including GPs, are not aware that opticians are authorized healthcare personnel, says optician Erik Robertstad, who has led the working group. Erik Robertstad has led the working group in the Norwegian Opticians’ Association. Photo: Helena Rønning / news They have calculated that the annual number of doctor consultations dealing with eye-related ailments could have been reduced by several hundred thousand a year. – In the long term, we can cut the number of consultations with GPs and ophthalmologists by one million a year if people with eye problems see an optician themselves, or are referred to us by their GP, says Robertstad. He justifies the enormous cut potential by the fact that many people with visual impairments and eye injuries often go to the GP first. – The patient is then referred to an ophthalmologist. Often, patients also visit their GP several times before and after consultation with an ophthalmologist. Some also go to the ophthalmologist several times, says Erik Robertstad. A year’s waiting time with ophthalmologists Despite the fact that she has received good help from the optician, Ljung Andresen must still be referred to an ophthalmologist. – My lower eyelid tilts out a little and then the tear duct cannot catch the tears. Then I have to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist. It may take time. With ophthalmologists in Norway, there is a waiting period of up to one year. Some also experience having to wait even longer. – It is completely unacceptable that people with eye injuries or eye diseases have to wait up to a year before they get an appointment with an ophthalmologist. This is according to general secretary Hans Torvald Haugo of the Norwegian Opticians’ Association. – Professional battle The general secretary of the opticians’ association does not hide the fact that there is a certain professional battle between ophthalmologists and opticians. – It is natural that professions try to protect their own profession, but we must put the patient at the centre. – What is happening in Norway now is that the patient is not being looked after as we should be. We should look to other countries and find good solutions for the patient, not the profession, says Hans Torvald Haugo. General Secretary Hans Torvald Haugo of the Norwegian Opticians’ Association. Photo: Helena Rønning / news He has a clear request for Health and Care Minister Ingvild Kjerkol (Ap). – We need to get the opticians onto digital systems so that we can communicate with the other health services in a safe and good way for the patient. – If the Minister of Health does not do something now, she will actually contribute to what she does not want to have, and that is a larger private healthcare system, says Haugo. No reimbursement scheme Optician Erik Robertstad understands that some people are reluctant to see an optician rather than stand in a year-long queue at an ophthalmologist. The opticians are not included in the reimbursement scheme, which means that the state subsidizes consultations. – We are a private operator that is not fully integrated into the healthcare system and people have to pay themselves. That is part of the problem. It will be a bit like going to the dentist, says the optician. news has sent several questions to Minister of Health and Care Ingvild Kjerkhol (Ap), but it is State Secretary Truls Vasvik (Ap) who responds to e-mails. State Secretary Truls Vasvik (Ap). Photo: Lars Tore Endresen / news – Most opticians work in private opticians’ shops, i.e. in a free and private market without public funding. The introduction of a reimbursement scheme will have financial and administrative consequences that have not been investigated. – The prices opticians charge are not regulated either, and it will be a demanding job to reimburse eye examinations at them without a public price regulation, writes the state secretary. – Will the government contribute to GPs referring patients to opticians to a greater extent in cases where the patient is not dependent on a consultation with an ophthalmologist? – We have to look at whether tasks can be carried out in new ways, and whether healthcare personnel can be given different tasks than today. How the opticians’ expertise and capacity can be used better in the work for better eye health is part of this, writes Truls Vasvik. Rejects professional competition Erlend Almaas represents ophthalmologists through his leadership position in the Norwegian Ophthalmological Association (NOF). They do not feel that there is a professional battle between ophthalmologists and opticians. – Ophthalmologists and opticians have different educations. Opticians are practitioners of optometry, and have expertise in assessing and correcting vision defects and prescribing and dispensing vision aids. – Ophthalmologists have in-depth knowledge of eye diseases and thus the professional basis for making diagnoses, initiating investigations and possibly starting treatment, writes Almaas in an email to news. He thinks the optician’s association’s claim that the public health system can be relieved with one million consultations per year sounds like a lot. – We do not know the background for these figures that are presented. The figures appear high, writes Erlend Almaas.
ttn-69
The opticians association wants to cut the long patient queue at the ophthalmologists – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
