Published in Non-Clinical

Optometry Abroad

This is editorially independent content
2 min read

Now's the time to get involved! In countries such as Vietnam, optometrists aren't practicing preventative care, and that means that many people are reaching late stages of eye disease before getting help.

Practicing optometry in Southeast Asia

There are many opportunities to get involved in practicing optometry abroad with organizations like VOSH and the Brien Holden Institute. VOSH does things all over the globe and Brien Holden likewise, has schools located on several continents.
Dr. Robert Molter has been practicing in Vietnam with his wife following retirement at an early age to provide optometric care and service to patients. Opportunities like this exist for young grads as well who might want to have this experience of providing optometric care in different places around the world.

What it is like practicing in Southeast Asia

Working in a private eye hospital in Saigon, Dr. Robert Molter watched optometry emerge in the country. Optometry is a brand new thing in Vietnam, and they need experienced optometrists who are properly trained to also help train Vietnamese optometrists who are graduating to help elevate the level of knowledge and care they can give.
Working in Vietnam, one can expect to treat and manage a lot of myopia; however, there are many conditions or patients who present with end stage problems because there hasn’t been an eyecare safety net in place as it relates to public health in the country. This means there hasn’t been an opportunity to detect disease early on in this population.
What this means is that eyecare professionals find themselves managing late stage glaucoma or late stage diabetic changes rather than treating and managing the early stages of these diseases.
As it currently stands, there is no culture of preventative care, particularly as it relates to the eyes. There are plenty of refractive services to be obtained, but there aren’t true comprehensive eye examinations happening because there hasn’t been optometry, just refracting opticianry.
The hope is that by educating Vietnamese optometrists, vital preventative and comprehensive care can be facilitated and implemented into their overall healthcare system.
Antonio Chirumbolo, OD
About Antonio Chirumbolo, OD

Antonio Chirumbolo, OD is the Director of Client Services at CovalentCreative. He completed his optometry degree at the SUNY College of Optometry in 2013. Antonio is passionate about digital media, marketing, and advertising and in his free time still practices optometry in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Antonio Chirumbolo, OD
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