VESAGAS...

To be an ophthalmologist, one needs to: obtain the degree “doctor of medicine”; be licensed physician; undergo the three-year residency program accredited by the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmologists; and pass the written and practical exam of the said accrediting body to either become a diplomate or fellow of ophthalmology.

To date, there is no other law that regulates the practice of ophthalmology in the country other than the Philippine Medical Act of 1959 (Republic Act 2382). Specifically, Section 10 of the said Medical Act defines the scope of practice (Acts constituting the practice of medicine):

(a) Who shall for compensation, fee, salary or reward in any form, paid to him directly or through another or even without the same, physical examine any person, and diagnose, treat, operate or prescribe remedy for any human disease, injury, deformity, physical, mental or physical condition or any ailment, real or imaginary, regardless of the nature of the remedy, or treatment administered, prescribed or recommended;

(b) ... by any means… [advertises]… in the television or radio that he or she is a physician; and

(c) Who shall use the title M.D. after his name. Overlapping Scopes of Practice To anyone who has the slightest medical background, the collaboration between an optometrist and ophthalmology may cause some confusion probably due to a hazy boarder or demarcation line separating its scope of practice. However, Section 5 of the Revised Optometry Law provides that prohibitions against the practice of optometry shall not apply to regularly licensed and duly registered physicians who have received postgraduate training in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases. This implies that physicians and ophthalmologists can also render services similar or parallel to those rendered by the optometrists upon the formers’ discretion.

The same section of the said optometry law states that… “However, the examination of the human eye by duly registered physicians in connection with the physical examination of the patients shall not be considered as practice of optometry”. Conversely, this implies that an optometrist cannot correct through interventions a medical disorder that affects vision (example for the case of a diabetic patient and the optometrist prescribes pharmaceutical agents to correct it) other than through provisions of interventions that exclusively concern the eyes such as but not limited to glasses, lenses or eye health education and training exercises compared to what a physician or ophthalmologist is privileged to render.

Digressing a bit, the month of August is also known as the Sight-saving month. According to the Global Initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness called Vision2020 programme by the World Health Organization, the following are the desired targets for the following eye care professionals in the Philippines: Ophthalmologist 1: 50, 000 population; Optometrist: 1: 100, 000 population; Optician: 1: 50, 000 population.

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