Promotion of

Presently the quality of optometric services in Pakistan is very poor and trained manpower is scarce. Institutionalized training for optometrists, refractionists and ophthalmic technicians is non-existent. Refraction and contact lens work is taken up by some ophthalmologists and poorly trained optometrists. Some areas in optometry like low vision work and electro-diagnostics are entirely neglected. Only two percent population of the developed countries suffers from amblyopia (Lazy eyes, mostly due to neglected squints/ refractive errors). This figure is very high in Pakistan; being a developing country the problem is more severe. Examination of child’s eye is time consuming and generally requires dedicated personnel.

Blindness places an immense socioeconomic burden on the individual as well as the community. The annual cost of caring for the 2,136,00 bilaterally blind people in Pakistan has been estimated to be 38.5 billion Pakistani rupees.

Two third or more of all blindness is avoidable in that the contributing causes are preventable. World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) has taken the global initiative of eliminating avoidable blindness by the year 2020 under the Vision 2020 programme. In this programme the concept of Mid Level Eye Care Personnel (MLECP) has emerged as one of the most cost effective measures in both the establishment and strengthening of Comprehensive Eye Care (CEC)

Based on the experience of experts in Pakistan, it is realized that there is an urgent need to develop a cadre of optometrists and ophthalmic technologists, capable of managing optical shops, providing a basic orthoptic service and assisting in ophthalmic outpatients. It is strongly felt that such a course will not only serve to solve some of the awful staffing problems but also enhance the potentials of quality eye care delivery outlets. Currently there are no such graduate and postgraduate level programmes available for Pakistani students. Allama Iqbal Open University with help of local teaching hospitals is first to launch such a degree level programme.

This programme is splitted into following three stages:

• Diploma in Vision Sciences for Ophthalmic Technicians
• B.Sc Vision Sciences
• B.Sc Honours in Vision Sciences.

Eligibility for admission in Diploma in Vision Sciences for Ophthalmic Technicians:

• A candidate having HSSC in Pre-Medical or equivalent with at least second division
• Candidates holding HSSC in Pre-Engineering, ICS and Family and Community Health will be required to complete pre requisite deficiency courses as prescribed by the university, for being eligible for admission in Diploma in Vision Sciences programme
• Admission will be granted purely on merit. Preference will be given to candidates from backward areas and admission criteria for candidates of following areas would be relaxed upto 35% marks.
• Balochistan
• FATA
• FANA
• Remote areas of Interior Rural Sindh

Only selected candidates will be informed about their selection individually.

• Fresh admissions are offered once in a year i.e. in Autumn semester.
• Overseas students would be eligible for admission provided they meet the equivalence requirements of the AIOU

2 nd year (B.Sc in Vision Sciences):

• A candidate who has successfully completed the 1 st and 2 nd semester of Diploma in Vision Sciences for Ophthalmic Technicians with a minimum of 50% marks.

4 th year (B.Sc Honors in Vision Sciences)

a) B.Sc in Vision Sciences/ B.Sc in Optometry and Ophthalmic Technology from AIOU with a minimum of 60% marks.

Credit

B.Sc Honors in Vision Sciences is being offered with three specialties. These are

• B.Sc Honors in Vision Sciences with Optometry
• B.Sc Honors in Vision Sciences with Orthoptics

Practical Training:

Diploma in Vision Sciences for Ophthalmic Technician:

For the ophthalmic technician-training course, the practical training would be carried out at the clinical department of the approved study centers and the stations specified for the training are;

• Outpatient department
• Inpatient care department
• Ophthalmic operation theatre
• Some community work

B.Sc Vision Sciences:

For the practical training, the students would be placed at the following stations of the clinical department;

• Refraction clinic
• Orthoptic clinic
• Low vision clinic
• Contact lens clinic
• Optical laboratory

Internship:

One year Internship would be done in approved institutions.

B.Sc Honors in Vision Sciences:

Regarding the practical training for the honors class, the students would be given practical training at the following clinical stations;

• Training for Optometry
• Refraction clinic
• Low vision clinic
• Contact lens clinic
• Optical lab

• Training for Orthoptics
• Refraction clinic
• Orthoptic clinic

• Training for Ophthalmic technology
• Outpatient department, Inpatient care department and Ophthalmic operation theatre
• Ophthalmic photography unit
• Ophthalmic angiography unit
• Unit for electro diagnostic tests
• Laser clinic
• Microbiology lab
• Eye bank