Editing Optometry (section)

====India====
In 2010, it was estimated that India needed 115,000 optometrists. In contrast, India has approximately 15,000 optometrists Bachelor of Optometry (4-year trained as per University Grant Commission Notification 5 July 2014 ) and 50,000  Diploma in Optometry (2-year trained diploma conferred By State Medical Faculty). In order to prevent blindness or [[visual impairment]] more well-trained optometrists are required in India.<ref>Anon (2011), Eyecare for 11 million vision impaired children in India, Optometry and Vision Science, Volume 88, Number 12, page 1532.</ref> The definition of optometry differs considerably in different countries.<ref>Agarwal, R. K. (1985), Optometry in the Indian sub-continent, Optometry Today, Volume 25, No. 14, page 475 (published by the Association of Optometrists, London, England)</ref> India needs more optometry schools offering four-year degree courses with a syllabus similar to that in force in those countries where the practice of optometry is statutorily regulated and well established with an internationally accepted definition.

In 2013, it was reported in the ''[[Indian Journal of Ophthalmology]]'' that poor spectacle compliance amongst school children in rural [[Pune]] resulted in significant vision loss.<ref>{{cite journal | pmid = 23275214 | doi=10.4103/0301-4738.99996 | volume=61 | issue=1 | title=Spectacle compliance amongst rural secondary school children in Pune district, India. | journal=Indian J Ophthalmol | pages=8–12 | pmc=3555005 | year=2013 |vauthors=Gogate P, Mukhopadhyaya D, Mahadik A, Naduvilath TJ, Sane S, Shinde A, Holden B | doi-access=free }}</ref>

In 2015, it was reported that optometrists need to be more involved in providing core optometry services like binocular vision and low vision.<ref>{{cite journal |pmid=25875681 | doi=10.1097/OPX.0000000000000587 | volume=92 | issue=5 | title=Pattern of optometry practice and range of services in India | year=2015 | journal=Optom Vis Sci | pages=615–22 |vauthors=Thite N, Jaggernath J, Chinanayi F, Bharadwaj S, Kunjeer G | s2cid=20038412 }}</ref>

===== History of Optometry Education in India =====
1. In the beginning optometry education started in India during British rule in 1927, the first college was established in West Bengal with the name The Indian College of Optics and the certification was diploma in optometry.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Life Science World |url=https://www.lswlifescienceworld.com/lsw-highlights-04apr-2023-optometry-optometrist-india.php |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=www.lswlifescienceworld.com}}</ref>

After the independence of India, the Directorate General Of Health Services (DGHS) Government of India in 1958, introduced the first (by the Central Government of india) optometry education in the form of a diploma in optometry with the collaboration of UP State Medical Faculty, Government Of Utter Pradesh, under the 2nd 5-year plan. The government offered diplomas in optometry courses of two years duration conferred by State Medical Faculties, empowered under the Indian Medical Degree Act, 1916 (as per Government of India Notification Department of Education, Health and Lands No,1964 dated 16 December 1926, effective from 15 November 1929). The first two schools of optometry were established at Gandhi Eye Hospital, Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, (the first school of optometry started by Mohan Lal) and at [[Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital]], Hyderabad in Telangana.

2. Subsequently, four more schools were opened across India, situated at Sitapur Eye Hospital, Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh; Chennai (formerly Madras) in Tamil Nadu; Bengalooru (formerly Bangalore) in Karnataka; and the [[Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Thiruvananthapuram]] (formerly Trivandrum) in Kerala.<ref>Agarwal, R. K. (1970), Optometry in India, The Optician, 3 July, page 18 (published in London, England).</ref>

3. The Elite School of Optometry (ESO) was established in 1985 in Chennai (The first school of optometry/college started by S. Badrinath) and was the first to offer a four-year degree course Baccalaureate of Science in Optometry (B.S. Optometry).<ref name=":0" /> The degree was conferred only by the Shanker Netraliya (Elite School of Optometry and the first principal was E. Vaithilingam) instead of any university or state government authority, etc. After that, the B.S. in Optometry (under off-campus mode) was affiliated with Bitis Pilani University, Rajasthan, and now the same course re-affiliated with the new University of State of Tamilnadu, India.

4. The School of Optometry at [[Bharati Vidyapeeth|Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune]], established in 1998, was the first to offer a four-year degree course and confer a Bachelor of Clinical Optometry. The university also provided a pathway for diploma holders to upgrade their education to a Degree of Optometry through a lateral entry program. Also, the first 2 years of the Master of Optometry course were introduced in 2003.

5. [[All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi|AIIMS-Delhi]] introduced a two-year Diploma in Clinical Technology-Optometry (D.C.T. in Optometry) in 1973 and then upgraded the Diploma course to a 3-year B.Sc. (H) in Ophthalmic Technique in 1975. After that, the nomenclature to degree and course of duration changed from B.Sc. (H) to Bachelor of Optometry, four-year duration as per UGC Notification 2014 in the year new first batch of students passed out in the year 2019.

6. At present, there are more than fifty schools of optometry and colleges in India, and over 100 universities confer Bachelor of Optometry (B.Optom) and Master of Optometry (M.Optom) professional degrees. Additionally, Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Optometry are awarded by universities recognized by the [[University Grants Commission (India)]], a statutory body responsible for maintaining standards of higher education in India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ugc.ac.in/oldpdf/regulations/specificationofDegrees.pdf |title=Specs |date=October 2009 |website=www.ugc.ac.in }}</ref>

Optometrists across India are encouraged to register under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021, which was enacted by the Parliament of India in 2021. The Delhi Optometrists Association (DOA) has endorsed all updates related to optometry education in India.