Helder Bértolo discloses that “the collaboration between ophthalmologists, optometrists and orthoptists is great. I don’t understand why people are fighting each other instead of uniting and moving forward, putting visual health care first”.
“Over years ago, for example, we got a commission to be created in the parliament with deputies of the Health, Work and Social Security, and Education commissions. These deputies formed an inter-commission commission, whose sole purpose was the regulation of Optometry. They already had a finished project, but meanwhile troika came, the government fell and we went back to square one. In this legislature, there already have been two resolutions in plenary for regulation, one in February 2012, which achieved nothing, and another that was approved in March 2013 and that got us to be heard again in the parliament, and also by the Health Secretary of State. I cannot fathom what the real problems are. Or rather, I do, but I cannot understand nor accept them. There are obviously interests involved and a history of conflict between some professions… but it’s something that we don’t see in the real world. That is to say, nowadays, he collaboration between ophthalmologists, optometrists and orthoptists is great. The examples of joint efforts with these three professionals are excellent, with better results. I don’t understand why people are always fighting each other, defending small interests, instead of uniting and moving forward, putting visual health care first. The day will come when we make it, especially because the european reality demands it! We’re talking about a science that today has graduates, masters and PhDs in Portugal. We not talking about a secret science anymore. This has to be debunked and these people must understand once and for all the impact of Optometry in the public’s life quality”.
