Transcription

HEINEN: In the Army, as an optometrist, it's similar to optometry in the civilian sector. However, we have the ability, unlike our civilian counterparts, to deploy operationally. We have a bit more capabilities that our civilian counterparts do and a bit more leeway as far as what we're able to do. Everything that we're taught is the same. Our education is the same as the civilian sector. However, because we are operational, we're able to do a bit more. So, the most interesting procedure for optometrists, specifically—because in a civilian practice, we are not authorized to do very much in terms of surgery, the surgeries will go for ophthalmologists— but in the Army we're able to do a procedure called a lateral canthotomy and a cantholysis. Where if a patient has fluid built up behind their eye—orbital compartment syndrome—we're able to release the tension around that eye and save that person's sight. That is something that a civilian optometrist is absolutely not able to do. They would get sued. But we're able to do that in the military because we're trained on that in the military. We're trained to treat ocular trauma. Optometrists go further downrange than our ophthalmology counterparts do. So, very often we are the first line of treatment for eyesight and sight-threatening issues. I knew that being a technician was really fun. I enjoyed helping people see better. And so I went to optometry school at Midwestern University in Phoenix, Arizona, and about halfway through optometry school, I realized how expensive optometry school was. And so I looked at other options apart from student loans. And I saw that the military offered what's called a Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP). And I was fortunate enough to receive a health professions scholarship from the Army. So, I thought, what the heck, let's try the Army. It was a three year return for service and they paid for the remainder of my college tuition. So, I was fortunate, again, enough to not have any student loans when I graduated optometry school. So, this is an ophthalmic technician program here at METC, Medical Education and Training Campus, where we take what amounts to be about a year worth of material. And we cram into eight weeks here. Our Soldiers will learn all of the pre-screening techniques that a technician requires to be in either an optometry office or an ophthalmology office. So, you learn how to meet and greet a patient. they learn rapport with the patient, pre-screening techniques. And then we have many machines that the technicians become proficient on, as well– when it comes to retinal photography and retinal imaging, contact lens, specialty contact lenses and diseases of the eye, as well. The technicians learn all forms of medications, ocular anatomy and physiology, and they are well-rounded and ready to provide care when they get to their first duty stations. I'm Cpt. Thomas Heinen, Be All You Can Be at GoArmy.com.