As reported last month, we have recently seen one of our own members of staff – Dr Alicia Thompson – go from SMC Tech to dispensing optician to degree-holder and now the first eyecare professional to gain a PhD in a dispensing-related subject. This isn’t the end, but rather a big leap in ABDO’s journey to facilitating a more evidence-based profession.
Having dispensing opticians (DOs) undertaking research that is peer-reviewed provides us with credibility in academic fields. I realise we are not all academics and, indeed, many of us choose the dispensing profession because it is more practical based. Yet our origins, optometrists and DOs alike, date back to spectacle makers circa 1629.
As our scope of practice develops, this must be based on evidence – and the skills to understand research are at the forefront of our plans for the profession. We can greatly improve our advice to patients with evidence of the benefits of the products we promote. We need to do this without fear of contradiction or embarrassment – as products like specialist tints and coatings have, in the past, led to false claims or exaggerated benefits from marketing ‘hype’.
We need to be able to evaluate and critique this information and inform our membership, so they can advise their patients based on white papers and peer-reviewed articles. This simply stops the claims of ‘smoke and mirrors’ and elevates the whole profession of ophthalmic dispensing and, in turn, the industry.
We would welcome applications to pursue research in topics our members feel warrant further investigation. We have a structure in place to make this happen and a desire to see it done. If you have any great ideas about research, which would make your everyday practice more credible and robust, do get in touch and let us know your thoughts. Even small ideas can be collated to synergistically develop a bigger idea. There are a lot of us out there; if we all contribute just a little, who knows how far we could go?
To submit your research ideas email athompson@abdo.org.uk