Thousands of Kiwis who require screening for a range of vision conditions are being warned to ensure their prescription glasses are being delivered by a registered dispensing optician.

The call comes after complaints from patients who have received incorrect glasses for their conditions, in some cases with the potential to endanger their health and mobility.

According to the Royal Australia and NZ Ophthalmologists association (RANZCO), healthcare in New Zealand is not equitable. Māori, Pasifika, ethnic minorities, regional New Zealand residents and those with lower incomes have reduced access to eye healthcare.

As a result, there is a higher rate of visual impairment and blindness in these groupings – some of which is irreversible and would have been prevented with timely eye healthcare intervention.

To better support Māori access to vision healthcare services, all registered dispensing opticians are required to complete an annual programme which includes cultural safety standards - including demonstrating the ability to apply the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

But a general lack of awareness means most patients are uninformed of the difference between a dispensing optician, who is a registered healthcare professional, and a retail ‘optical assistant’ working at an optometrist’s practice.

A registered dispensing optician is trained to interpret an optometrist’s prescription, and provide the patient with the correct eyeglasses or contact lenses, and advice for their condition.

Eye health is often neglected and for some groups it becomes irreparable.

Dispensing opticians are also qualified in the operation of diagnostic equipment including digital imaging devices, colour vision tests, standardised visual perceptual tests, and the administration of certain medicines.

Kristine Hammond, professional teaching fellow at the University of Auckland, School of Optometry and Vision Science (SOVS), ODOB chairwoman and qualified dispensing optician, says many Kiwis are unaware of the role that the dispensing opticians play in eye health.

Hammond says not all staff performing the work of a dispensing optician are required to be registered, which limits protections offered to patients.

“As this is a voluntary registration, we have no control over staff ability in individual premises and we understand other terms are being used such as ‘optical assistant’ for unqualified workers who are dispensing glasses and contact lenses.

Kristine Hammond.

“A number of patients have called us to complain that while the initial appointment with an optometrist has gone well, at the time of dispensing they find they are unhappy with their frames or lenses. It often transpires that they have been assisted by unregistered retail staff.

“If the staff member had been ODOB registered, that could have warranted an enquiry to see whether the practitioner was in breach of our standards. Unfortunately, when we get a complaint in these situations, we cannot take action if the staff member is not a health practitioner registered with us. We instead have to direct these patients to the Ministry of Health’s Enforcement team, as well as the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC).”

Hammond says that as part of a regular eye exam, optometrists check for a range of vision-related medical conditions including glaucoma, macular degeneration, cancer, and even diabetic screening.

“The role of the dispensing optician, working alongside an optometrist, is to ensure that the glasses, contact lenses and low vision aids they dispense address the vision conditions previously diagnosed or identified by the optometrist or ophthalmologist.

“It is a crucial role given that so many Kiwis live with varying degrees of eyesight, and we are operating in a digital age. While it may not be noticed daily, wearing the wrong glasses or contact lenses can have long-lasting adverse effects, for example, preventable falls or accidents and in some cases permanent vision loss, particularly in children.

“As well as dangers to their physical health, incorrect glasses can lead to headaches and a deterioration in eyesight over a longer period.”

Hammond says it’s important children with eye issues are identified early and points to a recent University of Auckland study which showed that one in 10 children aged between 8-9 needed glasses but didn’t have them.

“The research shows that those children with vision problems fall behind academically and believe they are not smart enough to keep up when the issue is they simply can’t see properly. These students need to be seen by an optometrist and then a qualified dispensing optician to fit them with the correct glasses or lenses,” she says.