A wider impact

The theme of World Health Day 2021, which took place on Wednesday 7 April, was “building a fairer, healthier world” – something that we can safely say we’d all wish for the future, wherever we happen to be from.

Within our partially locked down context in the UK, and as we navigate what comes next, it might be important to reflect on how we can interpret this as a positive message for the optical sector.

As the economy cautiously opens back up and the World Health Organization calls on leaders “to ensure that everyone has living and working conditions that are conducive to good health,” optometrists might appreciate some time to reflect on how important their roles are to the health of their communities as a whole.

Within the current context, it can be easy to feel like we have to “put up and shut up”, and soldier on without acknowledging the achievements that we might have made. Sure, no one really wants to brag about their work successes in a pandemic. But at Optometry Today we know how much value our members have within their communities – and we’re committed to helping you share these stories.

As part of our An optometrist saved my life series, we’ve recently shared stories of an optometrist identifying the signs of a stroke, an eye test that led to the discovery of a tumour, and another that identified a patient’s dangerously high blood pressure. Elsewhere, Johnson & Johnson Vision has explained the importance of myopia control on a global scale, and Inspecs Groups’ Steve Tulba reflected on the bright future that’s possible for those who continue to innovate.

OT thinks the striving that our members do to create a better world, both within their own communities and on a larger scale, is something that deserves acknowledgement.

Pulling together to create positive outcomes, sharing these stories and reflecting on how we can have a positive impact both on patients and the industry in the immediate context, but also in the longer term too, is vitally important. Share your positive stories with us at [email protected]