Preservation and Restoration of Vision:

Vision for the Future, Part 2: Ophthalmic Education and Training: Training Curriculum for Community-Based Eye Care Workers Ministry of Health, Government of India

On this page:

• Curriculum
  
  
• Criteria for selection
  
  
• Intake of Trainees
  
  
• Duties of Ophthalmic Assistants
  
  
• Two-Year Training Course Curriculum For Ophthalmic Assistants

Curriculum

Excerpted from the Detailed Training Curriculum and Procedures for Evaluation of Training, Knowledge and Skill.

The Programme envisages creation of a category of para-medical personnel known as Ophthalmic Assistants to assist Primary Health Centre (PHC) Medical Office of Ophthalmic Surgeon in early detection of visual impairment and in other activities concerning the National Programme for the Control of Blindness.

A two-year training programme for this purpose has been introduced.

By the end of VIth Plan, 37 Training Schools, most of them in Medical Colleges and Regional Institutes, have been established.

The programme of training includes six months institutional training followed by field practice for six months each at District Hospital, Primary Health Centre and Mobile Unit.

At the end of the training, the trainee is expected to be able to render the following services:

• Carry out eye health education activities;
  
  
• Assistant Medical Officer PHC/Ophthalmic Surgeon in estimation of refractive errors and treatment of common disorders of ocular motility;
  
  
• Carry out common ophthalmic diagnostic procedures.

Criteria for selection

The minimum qualification for selection of the candidates for the training is Higher Secondary (10+2) with minimum of 40% marks.

The candidates selected for the training get a stipend of Rs. 150 p.m. They have to execute a bond to serve the government for a period of five years.

The qualifications are relaxable in case of candidates from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and from the North Eastern Region.

Intake of Trainees

The annual intake of trainees in each school is 30 in two batches of 15 students each after every six months. About 1,000 Ophthalmic Assistants are expected to be trained every year.

Duties of Ophthalmic Assistants

1. Test vision and prescibe glasses.
   
   
2. Assist Medical Officer PHC in providing primary eye care including treatment for trachoma, conjunctivitis and associated infections.
   
   
3. Assist Mobile Unit in conducting eye care camps.
   
   
4. Survey the community for early detection of eye defects.
   
   
5. Organise community eye care education activities.
   
   
6. Train staff at peripheral level.

Two-Year Training Course Curriculum For Ophthalmic Assistants

The training course is to be undertaken in identified medical colleges, eye hospitals and institutions.

The field training is to be imparted in the Mobile Ophthalmic Unit, identified District Hospitals and identified PHCs.

The broad objectives, institutional objectives, admission rules of the course were discussed and recommended as follows:

OBJECTIVES

To produce ophthalmic assistants (para-medical technician worker) who should be able to assist in the early detection of visual impairment and control of blindness as a part of health manpower development under the National Programme for Control of Blindness.

INSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIVES

The students at the end of the training shall be able to:

1. Impart health education regarding ophthalmic disorders.
   
   
2. Render assistance to ophthalmologists/doctors at eye institutions, District Hospitals.
   
   
3. Assist in the estimation and treatment of errors of refraction and common disorders of ocular mortality.
   
   
4. Be able to perform common ophthalmic diagnostic procedures.

TRAINING COURSE

It shall comprise of two-year training conducted by the Medical College as under:

Phase I: Six-month training in Medical Colleges/Institutes

Phase II: One and one-half year training in the field practice area (Mobile Ophthalmic Unit, District Hospital and PHCs)

After the completion of Phase I, Ophthalmic Assistants shall be posted in the Mobile Ophthalmic Unit for six months, then posted for six months in District Hospitals and finally posted for six months in PHCs.

September 20, 2000

Next: Training Curriculum for Hospital-Based Ophthalmic Assistants Aravind Eye Hospital, India

Also see:

• Ophthalmology Continuing Education
  
  
• Table of Contents for Vision for the Future