Optometry emerged as a new profession in Nepal as an outcome of a National workshop on "Human resource development", conducted way back in 1997, where an intense need was felt to produce independent ophthalmic professionals to overcome the eye health problems facing at grass root level. The first optometry in Nepal was commenced in 1998 by Institute of Medicine in collaboration with the University of Auckland, New Zealand with the financial assistance from the NZ Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (NZAid). In the begining days, we got the constant support in education materials and lectures from teh University of Auckland. This collaboration was ended in 2001. This mournful event for the programme pushed us behind in different aspects such as faculty development and laboratory establishment and educational exchange programme. During initial period, Ritesh Poudel, who was sponsored by the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs to persue to a M.Sc. in Auckland over two years to help a Nepalese student spents just a year at service. After then, Dr Douglas HOrner, Indian University, US and Dr KK yadav, Varanasi University, India supported to the programme in delivering lectures.
However, overwhelming support was continued by World Council of Optoemtry by visiting Prof. Dr. A Cullen, Dr, ranjoo Prasad, Dr Sandra Wang Harris, Dr Lori Lukey till the end of 2003.
Now, our products have been playing substancial role in education. Mr Prakash Paudel was the key person in develping and strengtheing optoemtry education in Nepal. After him, Jyoti kadka, Sandya GC, Asik Pradhan, Sanjeev Mishra had joined this institute of a time being. Currently, Gauri S. Shrestha, Sanjeeb Bhattarai, Prakash Adhikari, and Neeraj Dev Joshi have been involved in running optoemtry education.
At present, there are few key issues which has to be addressed to improve quality of optometry education and develop concept of independent practitioners in Nepal. They are
1. Revise curriculum according to internation al standards and country needs to tackle avoidable blindness.
2. Work to develop separate department for Optometry which is currently under ophthalmology.
3. Establish optometry education and research lab.
4. Open independent optometry clinical practice and dispensing.
5. Bring all the optical chain under the authority of licensed optometrists to maintain standards of dispensing spectacle and contact lens.
We are looking forward to see the opinion and assistant from everyone to look in to these key issues.
Gauri S. Shrestha, M.Optom
FIACLE (Australia)
Teaching Assistant
B.P. Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies,
IOM,TU,Maharajgunj,Kathmandu
PO Box:8750
email: gaurishshrestha@yahoo.com
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