Introduction

Optometry is an autonomous health care profession primarily concerned with examining the eye for defects and refractive errors, prescribing corrective lenses, and providing eye exercises and visual rehabilitation for the visually impaired. Optometrists are trained to diagnose diseases of the eye and either manage them or refer patients appropriately for further treatment.

As a profession, optometry carries a major public health responsibility, particularly in eliminating uncorrected refractive error, which remains the leading cause of vision impairment worldwide. As primary eye care practitioners, optometrists play a critical role in the early detection of potentially sight-threatening conditions such as cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. They are also often the first to identify signs of systemic diseases like diabetes and hypertension during routine eye examinations.

Optometrists contribute significantly to reducing avoidable blindness through timely diagnosis, referral, and, in many cases, co-management of eye diseases. Optometry plays a central role at the primary level of eye care and also contributes at secondary and tertiary levels by working closely with ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals, all with the shared goal of preventing vision loss and improving quality of life.