Optometrists shouldn't do eye surgery

However, I recently learned the VA recently made a policy change allowing optometrists, who are not medical doctors or trained surgeons, to perform eye surgery.

This is a big mistake. Ophthalmologists are the only qualified health care professionals who should be performing eye surgery on patients. Unlike optometrists, ophthalmologists complete up to 10 years of education, including medical school, hospital internship, and clinical and surgical residency.

Eye surgery is delicate and requires the skill and judgment that only a trained and experienced surgeon can provide. Botched eye surgery can be impossible to fix and result in vision loss or blindness.

It is disturbing to think that my fellow veterans and I may one day receive surgical eye care from someone who is unqualified to perform surgery. This is a blatant disregard for our health and safety.

I urge Sen. Thom Tillis and his colleagues on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee to tell the VA not to allow optometrists to perform eye surgery. The VA should allow only surgically trained ophthalmologists to handle delicate surgical procedures on veterans’ eyes.

Darrell Miller

High Point