OPTICIANS’ CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20964, 1 March 1930, Page 19

OPTICIANS’ CONFERENCE.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The final session of the Institute of Op- • ticians was conducted yesterday. .Owing to the terms of the Opticians Act the institute has found it necessary to revise several of its rules and to impose an even more stringent code of ethics upon its members. The keynote of discussion on this subject was the necessity for an ever higher standard of efficiency, especially as recent research has placed m the hands of opticians a greater opportunity than ever before of affording relief iu cases of ocular discomfort. The Institute of Op ticians has raised the plane of practice in this country to a stage which will a: ford the public a degree of protection never before enjoyed. Several membci holding high diplomas in the Euglish m tical societies expressed satisfaction at t’ existing state of affairs in New Zealand, stating that New Zealand is privileged m its optical service. The subject of school children’s eyesight was given earnest consideration by tinconference. The consulting rooms of members throughout the* Dominion afford ample evidence of the need of greater care on the part of parents and tcac’ici < in this most important phase of child welfare. It must be realised that in tin? course of evolution to the present stage the human eye has been called upon to do work which places a great strain upon it. Let one consider for a moment, it was argued, the demands made upon the average school child during the course of a day’s work in the classroom and bear in mind the fact that it was only within the last few decades that such demands had ' been made on these young people, and it would readily be appreciated how liable the eyes were to give trouble. That they went wrong was well known to anyone with ability to observe; and it was the problem of correcting these cases which the institute felt was its dutv to study and help. Much had* already been done to minimise the evil effects of inattention, and much still remained to be done. It was a question often raised in the minds of thinking individuals why, so many children needed optical assistance, and these people should realise that the help now ghen was of inestimable value to these young people. The institute fell, however, that some organised form of examination of an even more extensive character than that which the school medical inspectors had time to give should be considered, and a special committee was set up to deal with this. Another important topic of discussion uas that of visual tests f«r motor drivers. Licenses were granted now to drivers ' wßhout any care on the part of the authorities to see that the driver had even a reasonable acuity of vision. • One delegate remarked that applicants for drivers’ licenses were apparently considered fit enough if they could see their way up to the inspector’s office. It needed no reflection to see the inadequacy of the present system and the wisdom in the institutes action in forming a. special committee to refer matters concerning ties ' teSfe *° trans P° r t authori-

Atieniion jr as centred for some time on the question of publishing articles of interest on the care of the eyes and the correction of many •well-known ocular anomalies. This was a subject which concerned all, and it was felt that much good would arise from this. Steps are to be taken to afford the public the needed advice through the columns of the press Up to the present nothing has been done in the way of organised research, and the institute, feeling that this was a serious want, appointed the following gentlemen to take charge;-!. D. Peacock (Auckland), F. G. Towns (Hastings), T. ?p, Y 5 ) “ g (Wellington). R. s. Lonsdale Christchurch), G. K. Xeiil (Dunedin). 1 his committee will associate itself with the research .department connected with the Refraction Hospital in London, and although the work undertaken in New Zealand will he under the control of the New Zealand Institute of Opticians, there will be an exchange of results which cannot be other than valuable. Among the more important things calling for urgent attention may be mentioned eye muscle anomalies, the elimination of strain due to glare, and the general improvement of optical technique. Another phase of this committee’s duties will be to gather data from the practising opticians for the purpose of investigating the efficacy of certain lines of treatment.

There was also under consideration a proposal to approach the New South Wales Opticians’ Institute with a view to co-operating with them along similar lines in matters of research and the establishment of a large clinic for post-gradu-ate optical training. There is at present a clinic working in Sydney, and the New Zealand Institute has deputed its executive approach the New South Wales authorities and make any arrangements possible.

The business of the conference was concluded with the election of officers as follows President, Mr E. A. Sargent (Wellington); vice-president, Mr E. BrookeTaylor (Wellington); treasurer, Mr H, Coote (Wellington); Executive Committee—Messrs T. G. Young (Wellington), H. S. Gilberd (Wellington), 6. E. Head (Auckland), P. G. Towns (Hastings), W. J. Watson (Christchurch), and A. H. Fairmaid (Dunedin); librarian, Mr E. A. Sargent; auditor, Mr Wynne Watkins (Wellington).

Votes of thanks to Mr E. A. Sargent (president) and Mr R. Brooke-Taylor (vice-president) for presiding over the conference were accorded with acclamation. -

In the afternoon Dr A. J. Hall delivered a lecture on “ Cataract,” and explained in a most lucid manner the means of diagnosing and studying this disease by modern methods. The lecture was profusely illustrated by lantern views, and in the able hands of the lecturer proved of great interest and instruction to the delegates. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Dr Hall for the trouble he had gone to in so ably presenting his address.

It was resolved to hold the next conference in Wellington.