orthoptists now allowed to prescribe glasses and contact lenses

For a control of her vision, Élodie Lefort consults Marc Faiveau, orthoptist in Massy (Essonne). Its field of competence extends from Wednesday, April 27. “What will change now (…) is that you can come directly to the orthoptist, without first going to an ophthalmologist, so that we can calculate the glasses“, explains Marc Faiveau. The power of prescription is indeed granted to him, for glasses or contact lenses. The government sees in it a solution to the problem of waiting times.

“It’s a good thing for everyone, whether it’s people who live in the countryside, in the city, because the delays are very long to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist.“, entrusts Elodie Lefort. Ophthalmologists believe that the new prerogative, granted to paramedical professionals, will lead to a deterioration in the quality of care. “Orthoptists have a bac+3 training, they now have training to do an eye exam, but they have no ability to assess a pathology at all“, estimates Pierre Pégourié, secretary general of the National professional council of ophthalmology, who recalls that the examinations at the ophthalmologists make it possible to carry out screenings.