Looking out for your mental wellbeing
29 October 2021
Autumn 2021
Daniel Hardiman-McCartney FCOptom, Clinical Adviser for the College, on how optometrists should attend to their health and mental wellbeing.
Almost five years ago, I wrote a blog post, ‘Is testing eyes bad for my health?’, regarding my concerns that optometrists are sedentary while at work, and that they should take action. The World Health Organization continues to recommend that adults should spend at least 150 minutes each week completing a moderate-intensity activity in order to reduce the risk of obesity and long-term health problems (WHO, 2020). Adults who are sedentary for more than seven hours a day are considered to be particularly at risk: my experience in practice at the time suggested this might apply to many optometrists.
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Related further reading
The College of Optometrists has responded to the GOC consultation on the proposed updated statement on testing of sight and proposed supervision and delegation standards.
The GOC’s findings indicate strong patient satisfaction with eye care services but identifies that registrants have concerns that commercial pressures could potentially impact their ability to deliver the best possible care to patients, as well as affecting their wellbeing.
This Halloween we're urging the public to think about their eye health.