Development of Optometry in El Salvador

Title: Development of Optometry in El Salvador

Diploma
https://drive.google.com/?tab=mo&authuser=0#my-drive
Ppt
 https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6aVQkIObdyEYTdfazEtejlsRWc/edit
Lead Author:  Natalia Colomé de Man, OD

Staff member of a private optometry center in Barcelona, actual member of Öptics pel Mon (OxO), organizes orthokeratology courses between Spain and Latin America, former director of the school of optometry at Universidad de El Salvador, former coordinator of visual health international cooperation at El Salvador, participated as a speaker at hearings for creating the law of Otometry in El Salvador Legislative Assembly (Congress). 

Introduction/Purpose:  

To create a method for the development of Optometry worldwide, by integrating optometry education, accreditation through public health policy and international cooperation.

The cornerstone for developing Optometry in a country are:

• Education: To implement an Optometry program at higher public education institutions.
• Accreditation: To establish guidelines for the practice and opening optometric establishments under the existing Public Health Law by organizing the optometry guild and passing the necessary amendments.
• International Cooperation: To lead, follow and fund these efforts through the various resources of developed countries and institutions (International cooperation for development policies, universities, optometry councils, NGO´s)

Methods: 

Education and International Cooperation. 

Researching the legal guidelines for the development of optometry: higher studies and Public Health Laws (DECRETO Nº 2699 21/10/79)

Implementing an optometry program at the public university of El Salvador, approved by the Ministry of education by their own means, joined with funding and consulting of  Spanish institutions: UPC; UV, Cátedra UNESCO SVD, OxO, AECID. Others: Lions club, VOSH, ALDOO, WCO.

Accreditation  

Inclussion of optometry practice as a public health career ruled by the public health law. Presenting a proposal ruling the practice of optometry to the El Salvador Legislative Assembly (Congress) working hearings, reaching an agreement between the national representatives from: Government (ministry of public health, public health council, (congress), visual health guilds (optometry, opticians, ophthalmology, non formal practitioners) and citizens. 

Results:

• Since 2008 a 5yr Optomety program is part of the academic curriculum of the public university of El Salvador-
• Optometry practice and the opening of optometry centers is now included through amendments made on the Rulebook of Public Health of El Salvador as agreed on the discussion hearings DECRETO Nº 2699 21/10/79 Am
• Optometry is part of the public health offer at their social security health plan
• Since 2005, optometry programs where created in Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama. Nicaragua is working on opening their program and Guatemala improved their technical degree to higher education degree (bachelors).  As for this day, the only country in Central American and Panama region lacking a higher education optometry program and accreditation is Honduras.

Conclusion:

When you join together local resources, such as: public education, public health, optometry guild with  international cooperation, the result is the development of optometry in that country and always positively affects the surrounding region, improving visual health and decreasing statistics of preventable blindness in the world.