ASCO and the American Optometric Association recently released results from their jointly developed National Eye Care Workforce Study. The study was designed to help answer critically important questions about how America’s eye health needs will be met in the next decade and beyond. Among the key findings are that demand for optometric services is increasing and that there appears to be an adequate supply of eye doctors — optometrists and ophthalmologists — (inclusive of projections of new doctors) to meet current and projected demand for eye care services through 2025.
Eye on Education spoke with five leaders in optometric education about the study results: Dr. Jennifer Coyle, ASCO President and Dean of Pacific University College of Optometry; Dr. Richard Phillips, ASCO President-Elect and President of Southern College of Optometry; Dr. David Heath, ASCO Immediate Past-President and President of State University of New York College of Optometry; Dr. Elizabeth Hoppe, At-Large Member of the Executive Committee of the ASCO Board of Directors and Founding Dean of Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry; and Dr. Kevin Alexander, President of Marshall B. Ketchum University and a former ASCO President.