Abstract

A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE CONTACT LENS EDUCATION FOR WORKING PRACTICES OF THE FUTURE

Amit Roychowdhury, Dhrubo Jyoti Sen* and Beduin Mahanti

ABSTRACT

The World Health Organization has identified a shortage of trained human as one of the greatest challenges to increasing the availability of eye care services and reducing preventable visual impairment around the world. Increased prevalence of myopia and new strategies for myopia management have raised the prospect of various interventions, including contact lenses for therapeutic use as well as for refractive correction. More personnel skilled in contact lens fitting will be needed to address potential worldwide demand for these interventions. The global need for increasing numbers of skilled personnel points to a crucial role for educators in teaching the contact lens practitioners of the future. Contact lens education delivery was already evolving prior to COVID-19, and changes that are currently occurring may lead to permanent differences in the way contact lenses are taught in future. The International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE) provides educators with a standardized global curriculum, online resources and teaching technology that could also serve as a model for wider ophthalmic education in future.

Keywords: Contact lenses, Education, Educational technology, COVID-19, Research Interests.