Digital Optometry donation supports development of optometric studies

'Developed for optometrists by optometrists', namely Graham Chrich and Russell Meyer, the award winning digital software brand Spectrum Eye care is used by all top Optometric Universities, social workers, students and optometrists across South Africa and interfaces with over 35 000 patients each month via a state-of-the art patient eye testing software.

Digital Optometry's annual student road show kicked-off at KZN University yesterday, 23 January where Chrich presented each 3rd and 4th year student with their own software and support pack, valued at R5940 each, totaling over R600 000. He also announced details of the Optometric prize valued at R25 000 that will be awarded to the top Optometric Student in applied studies.

This prize will be awarded to both a 3rd and 4th year student and also launched at other Optometric Institutions in the Orange Free State and Gauteng during a road show that culminates mid-February. The Optometric prize sponsorship is valued at 25K per university and includes their very own laptop, laptop case and a two year software sponsorship whilst they are in professional practice. Prizes total 75K and each University lane costs approximately R15 000 a year to run.

With increased cases of preventable blindness in country, Meyer is particularly passionate about early diagnostics and raising the level of professional care. "Spectrum Eye care software builds a platform of professionalism among future optometrists which affords the public access to the best level of eye care. Spectacles can be prescribed more accurately, eye diseases can be diagnosed sooner, often literally saving their sight."

The digital eyetest is portable and easy to use. "Installed on the students PC or laptop, the Spectrum Eye software equips students with all the tools necessary to deliver the highest level of eye care not only focused on the prescribing of spectacles, but also the early diagnosis of eye diseases and the co-management thereof. We have set out to make a superior tool for a comprehensive eye examination available to every optometric student in the country, without this, the optometrist sadly can only focus on refraction and spectacle sales and a lot of the knowledge taught at university level is lost."

Variable language commands and educational visuals integrated into the system ensure patients have an accurate understanding of the test and offers an opportunity to educate patients through the Spectrum patient information centre, "everyone wins with Spectrum Eye Care" said Russell.

Spectrum Eyecare will once again visit Universities mid-year and then again to award the student prizes at graduation at the end of 2012.

For more information, visit: www.digitaloptometry.com.