The engineering marvel

At the time of the 2-day Contact Lens Education Program (CLEP) at Saharanpur in U.P., conducted by me for 51 diploma optometrists and optometry students, October 9-10, 2012, at the instance of Eye Care Society (rathoreeyecare@gmail.com), I happened to visit the `haveli’ of the local `zamindar’ having a big hall of around 35’x35’ whose roof was supposedly laid down way back in 1970s without the use of iron frame and pillars...a real engineering marvel!

Dr. Narendra Kumar, Eye Care India, kumars@vsnl.com

Four generations

As part of her MBA studies at Amity University, Noida, she underwent summer internship at Bausch & Lomb Eyecare (India) Pvt Ltd, Gurgaon; as a student she completed a research study on “Low market share of GP contact lenses in India” sponsored by a European maker of GP monomer; and is now working as an HR Manager at a reputed general insurance firm in New Delhi...the `Four generations’ picture shows Mrs. Mansi Gupta with her daughter, mother and grandmother.

Dr. Narendra Kumar, Editor, Optometry Today, OptometryToday@gmail.com

Anna: Will return Padma Bhushan

Like scores of other Indians wary of the corruption-monster, I can understand the desperation of Anna Hazare threatening to return his Padma Bhushan award if the government did not take the lokpal bill seriously.

In 1960s, on securing first position with first division marks in Diploma in Optometry exam, I had returned my Diploma showing `Nil' division to U.P. State Medical Faculty for ratification of the error, but (as things are going on) in vain!

Are concerned authorities listening?

Dr. Narendra Kumar

OptometryToday@gmail.com

Eyes

A poem in Hindi written sometime in 1990s.

Narendra Kumar OptometryToday@gmail.com

Use of suffix or prefix

Although an optometrist in the US enjoys excellent status and adds the prefix `Dr.’ with his name, there are many optometrists who rather than using this prefix make use of the suffix `OD’.

When I was a child, a social worker in my home town Rewari, Dharam Veer, always used the suffix `MA’; likewise another person used the suffix `Prabhakar’, denoting their respective educational qualifications.

After passing out from Gandhi Eye Hospital School of Optometry Aligarh in 1961, I joined Sir Ganga Ram Hospital as Refractionist, and at the time of the opening of a savings account at Bank of India Karol Bagh, insisted on using the suffix `DROpt’. Although later on on completing BAMS I started using the prefix `Dr.’, it was amusing to once receive a note from the bank manager addressed as `Mr. DROpt’!

Dr. Narendra Kumar, Editor Optometry Today, OptometryToday@gmail.com

Smile and the world smiles with you

It’s good to see smiling faces of BJP leaders Hema Malini (the dream girl) and Murli Manohar Joshi (the then Union Human Resource Minister, with whom I had the honour of sharing the dais on January 24, 1999 at the time of 30^th All India Optometry Conference at Manesar; he being the chief guest and I being the conference chairman)…Picture source: Times of India, May 25, 2012.

Ever since my involvement with the primary eye care profession starting 1959 (as a student at Gandhi Eye Hospital School of Optometry, Aligarh), my life has evolved around optometry, that has seen many ups and downs, served the society’s vision and eye care needs, and is now playing an important `co-management of eye diseases’ role hand-in-hand with ophthalmology.

But, since one also needs to look beyond optometry, I’m distressed to see the non-smiling faces of scores of citizens who don’t find life easy due to several social ills like ever-increasing inflation, adulteration, crimes, and corruption.

And, reverting back to the two leaders, I earnestly look upon Hema ji and Joshi ji to sincerely work towards finding ways (i) for the creation of an Optometric Council of India, so as to ensure efficient delivery of primary eye care services to the citizens in the hands of those qualified (say, by forcefully raising the issue in Parliament), and (ii) for the reduction (and possibly elimination) of inflation, adulteration, crimes, and corruption (say, by getting government measures introduced for strict rules and heavy penalties, as also speedy justice in courts of law), so as to ensure smiling faces all around!

Dr. Narendra Kumar

Editor, Optometry Today

OptometryToday@gmail.com

Dirty picture A girl collects drinking water from the toilet of a school at Sundarpalya in Karnataka’s Kolar district, while the government spends Rs.45 crore in providing drinking water and toilet facilities in schools across the state – News, Times of India, May 13, 2012. As to primary eye care, there’s no sign of the formation of the Optometric Council of India, to regulate the practice of optometry in the hands of those qualified, even though the discipline was introduced in the country (by the union government is association with state governments) way back in 1958, leaving the door wide open for the continued entry to the profession of any Tom, Dick and Harry irrespective of their educational background! Reverting back to the plight of students, now that ToI has highlighted the issue, will concerned authorities look into the matter urgently to set things right, and (since most of what one learns or does depends a great deal on efficient vision and healthy eyes), could someone sensitive enough towards their welfare see to it that school children receive periodic vision and eye care services as well? Dr. Narendra Kumar Editor, Optometry Today OptometryToday@gmail.com

What is your wish?

An optical salesman wishes to be a dispensing optician, a dispensing optician wishes to be an optometrist, an optometrist wishes to be an ophthalmologist, and an ophthalmologist wishes to be…what? I don’t know, but he must also be having a wish, as they say `the grass looks greener on other side of the fence’ (Professor S. Anderson). Well, as an optometrist, or for that matter any other member of the ophthalmic optical community, what is your wish? It may be wild, deserving, non-attainable or practical. Write to me, within a fortnight, at OptometryToday@gmail.com with your thoughts, mentioning your name, complete postal address and phone number, to receive a free surprise gift and a 20% discount coupon. Dr. Narendra Kumar Editor, Optometry Today

Rough road…

India’s Constitution guarantees the right to education, but for the underprivileged child it still remains an uphill task to get decent schooling. While the enrollment rate at age 6 has reached 96.7%, the dropout rate by class 5 is also high at 26%; and at some places it’s a tightrope walk for children to cross a channel as at Dobra Jagir, 15 km from Bhopal, to go to school (Input and picture source: Hindustan Times, April 18, 2012).

As to the field of vision and eye care, although optometry was introduced in the country way back in 1958, and has progressed well to bloom into over 100 instituions across the country imparting education up to PhD level, no Government legislation has so far been introduced to regulate its practice into the hands of those qualified, leaving (i) the unsuspecting public vulnerable to receiving vision and eye care services also by those not institutionally-qualified and (ii) optometrists traversing the rough road at the end of which lies their goad in the form of the creation of the Indian Council of Optometry!

Dr. Narendra Kumar
Editor, Optometry Today
OptometryToday@gmail.com

An evening with Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji

I don’t believe in religious rituals; but do believe in a supreme power, in leading a simple life and in helping others especially in my chosen field of vocation – optometry.

On March 25, 2012, the spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji visited Janakpuri and blessed the gathering with the following counsel:

▪ Lead a simple life
▪ Believe in God in any form you like
▪ Shed superstition
▪ Going vegetarian and adopting ayurveda is healthy
▪ Let there be a smile on your face always
▪ Don’t get angry
▪ Indulge in bhakti-sangeet whenever you find time
▪ Donate 2 to 3% of your earning for a good cause and
▪ Do relaxation and meditation exercises

This surely was an evening well-spent with Guruji, the propagator of `The Art of Living’ courses for the welfare of mankind!

Dr. Narendra Kumar

Open Letter to Shri Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, U.P.

March 15, 2012

My dear Akhilesh ji,

Welcome and congratulations as the youngest Chief Minister of the country’s biggest state!

In the field of eye-care, Uttar Pradesh is the first state where optometry took birth in the year 1958 with the starting of the 2-year Diploma course at Gandhi Eye Hospital’s School of Optometry, Aligarh, with the examination governed by the U.P. State Medical Faculty, Lucknow.

Over the years, while Bachelor, Master and PhD courses have been introduced in other parts of the country, U.P., unfortunately, lagged behind by continuing with the same old Diploma course.

I (having qualified in optometry from Aligarh in the year 1961), on behalf of the optometric community across India, urge you to take the lead by upgrading the 2-year Diploma in 4-year Degree course in optometry at all institutes in U.P.

Since all the basic infrastructure already exists at most of the institutions, the move will soon result in the availability of an army of better qualified optometrists to take charge of the efficient care of the visual welfare of the residents of U.P.

Optometry is the first line of defence against blindness the world-over, and why should the country’s biggest state lag behind when it now enjoys the leadership of a young energetic and enlightened chief minister eager to see U.P. catch up with developed states?

The effective step could well be the appointment of a “Director, Optometric Revolution in U.P.” within the U.P. State Medical Faculty, and taking personal interest in the development of optometry as a primary eye care profession.

And, optometry apart, I would like you to tell us about the secret of your vibrant energy.

Regards.

Dr. Narendra Kumar
BAMS, DROpt, PGCR, Member IACLE
Editor, OPTOMETRY TODAY
OphthaCare Eye Centre
C4F/216 Janakpuri
New Delhi 110058
Phones 011-25599839, 25612301
OptometryToday@gmail.com

Formerly Refractionist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital
Author of `Ophthalmic Dispensing Optics’ book
Rotary award winner for courteous behaviour

The Pleasure Principle

While `everything that feels good is bad for you and everything that feels bad is good' is the harsh, true law of nature, `your well-being is in your hands' is also a law of nature, which dictates certain basic rules to be followed as daily routine to maintain health:

■ Getting up early in morning, and going for a walk,
■ Eating three full-meals of balanced, healthy food including thoroughly cleaned fruits and vegetables; consuming non-healthy food-items only in moderation; and churning food into semi-liquid within the mouth,
■ Keeping body-posture straight during work and leisure,
■ Keeping away from gossip and criticism of others to keep mind fresh and healthy, may be by engaging in a healthy activity (at the age of 71, I bring out an optometric journal, participate in conferences, attend to contact lens practice, am active on facebook, and write eye-care blogs),
■ Believing in singer Rageshwari's philosophy: "You can easily find your way out of bad situations if you approach them with a positive attitude, hope and faith", and
■ Going to bed early to enjoy adequate sound sleep.

Dr. Narendra Kumar

Eyes and colours of `Holi'

This composition in Hindi is an attempt to create awareness of the need to be careful in protecting eyes from the danger of the colours of `Holi'.

Dr. Narendra Kumar