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Optometry is the only profession specifically licensed in all of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the outlying possessions of the United States to deal with refractive and visual anomalies. Optometry exists only because the public reposes trust in it to fill its visual needs, and compensates optometrists for doing so.

Most Americans requiring vision care are dependent upon the availability of members of our profession. In addition, most of the preventive work in the field of vision care-periodic examinations for evidences of vision difficulties relating to such near-point vision tasks as reading or eye-hand coordination-is performed by optometrists in the home community. While medical practitioners also frequently provide such services, the number of medical doctors trained in this specialty is approximately one-sixth as large as the admittedly limited number of optometrists.

Results of the 1960 Census of Population show 16,044 optometrists practicing in the United States. This was a gain over the 1950 census of 9.6 percent. The same census revealed a gain in the same period for dentists of 10.1 percent and for physicians and surgeons of 18.9 percent.

Our latest tabulation for May 1964 shows there are some 17,000 optometrists in practice. As of 8 a.m., May 21, 1964, the Bureau of Census, Department of Commerce, reports that the U.S. population is 191,741,430. In round figures, then, we have a ratio of 1 optometrist to every 11,250 Americans.

Since most Americans—including those in the armed service-are dependent primarily upon members of the optometric profession for most of their vision care requirements (or for referral, when indicated, to physicians for medical attention), the question is whether there are sufficient licensed optometrists to meet the needs of this country.

The data we have establishes that there is a pronounced and serious shortage in our profession, and that this shortage, under the present conditions of college enrollment, and vigorous competition with the health and other sciences, will get increasingly worse before it will be improved.

The facts are these:

1. More practitioners are leaving the field (through death and retirement) than are entering it.

2. The number of students enrolled in colleges of optometry has fallen off drastically since the high point of post-World War II GI bill enrollments. However, there has been a steady, but all too slow growth since 1958.

3. According to a recent, professionwide survey, less than 7 percent of the practicing optometrists in this country are under the age of 29, while about half of all optometrists are over 38.

The following figures are based on a 1959 survey made by the American Optometric Association, on which there was a 45-percent response to the questionnaire. This study, providing the best information currently available on the characteristics of the profession, showed that—

Were then under 29.

Were then between 29 and 38

Were then between 39 and 48

Were then between 49 and 58_

Were then between 59 and 68-

Were then 69 or older (of which 3/10 of 1 percent were still practicing at 90 or older) –

Percent

7

44

30

12

5

2

4. The accepted minimum ratio of optometrists to population has been determined to be one practitioner to each 7,000 persons. The actual ratio, however, is now of one optometrist to each 11,250 persons. At the current level in 1964, then, we have a present shortage of 10,000 optometrists needed to provide the barest minimal vision needs of our population.

Since it requires at least 5, and usually 6, years of college-level training to prepare an optometrist for general practice, and since college enrollments have not kept pace with the attrition rate in the profession, the present unfavorable ratio of optometrists to population will worsen, if the trend is not reversed quickly.

The shortage of optometrists is much more serious in some States than in others, but is acute in all States. There are 45 counties in Kentucky, according to a report by that State's Governor, which are without a single full-time optometrist. But even in States where the ratio is more favorable than in others, patients must schedule their appointments far in advance, and often wait an

inordinate length of time for examinations. This problem, common to medicine, dentistry, and osteopathy, is equally true in optometry.

States with the highest percentage of population per optometrist are generally those States with the highest Negro or Spanish-American population. They are also generally the States with the lowest per capita income. Applicants desiring to enter the study of optometry from these Sates are those most in need of financial assistance to pay the costs of their education.

The Midwestern States are usually considered to be as self-sufficient as any group of States in our Nation. It is significant, therefore, to study the following table taken from the Optometric World, a privately published magazine, which appeared in that magazine's December 1963 issue.

The scope of the study was limited to 10 States and was to find those counties having 10,000 or more population per optometrist. Note that all counties having no optometrists are included regardless of population.

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