THOSE DARK GLASSES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 804, 17 December 1954, Page 5

THOSE DARK GLASSES

Sir.-In your November 29 issue you publish the text.of a talk broadcast recently by Dr. H. B. Turbott on the subject of sunglasses and night-driving glasses, This.conveyed both to listeners and to readers the notion, clearly underlined, that ophthalmologists as distinct from ophthalmic opticians, are the only qualified source from which to obtain advice on these particular and related matters. This arises from the incorrect and limited definition he applied to the professional qualifications of ophthalmic opticians and which, in its present form, is both an unfair and unwatrayigd discrimination against: the p ional qualifications of the latter. Sigjjé Dr. Turbott, by virtue of his. office, is fully informed on the fact that ophthalmic opticians are statutorily recognised to perform the functions which the context of his published talk reserves only to ophthalmologists, I am sure that it was far from his intention to convey the impression which it does, and because of this he would no doubt wish to be the first to rectify this accidéntal but misleading interpretation. , Ophthalmic opticians,.no less than ophthalmologists, are trained a fully equipped to advise upon and prescribe for optical and function efects of vision. The opthalmologist isg- medical practitioner specialising in the treat-

ment of diseases, injuries and surgery of the eye, as distinct from the ophthalmic optician, who specialises in refrace tion and the correction of optical defects and functional anomalies of vision. The ophthalmic optician is fully trained to observe conditions of the eyes beyond the range of the normal and consequently if he has reason to suspect that a person’s visual apparatus is affected by some abnormality he refers the patient to his physician or an ophthalmologist, as judged necessary. Such matters, therefore, as advising upon the correct fotm and the appropriate indications for the wearing of sunglasses or protective glasses come well within the legitimate and qualified province of the ophthalmic optician.

MALCOLM

CHOLERTON

(Christchurch).