The role of research, evidence and education in optometry: a perspective.

Eye and health care are and always will be both art and science. The science of discovery, its translation to clinical care and the education that necessarily follows for practitioners is witnessing remarkable change and increasing impact on patient care. An independent and vibrant profession commits to discovery as a basis of better patient care; optometry is no exception. Some recent discoveries in our field are breathtaking and the increasing awareness in health care, including in optometry, of the advantages of accepting the challenge of translating these discoveries to patient care is becoming more evident. Health-care practice is increasingly evidence-based on careful science. The implications of evidence-based health care are surprisingly broad, with impact on clinical care guidelines, reimbursement, future scope of practice responsibilities and education both within our schools of optometry and for our practitioner.