• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.398-404
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• 2010

Purpose: Concerns had been voiced about an oversupply of optometrists in Korea. So, this study aimed to forecast the supply and demand for opticians for policy implications. Methods: Baseline Projection model combined with demographic method was adopted as the supply forecasting method and so was a ratio method using the number of physician and population using weight of healthcare utilization. Results: Under the 'physician to optician ratio', there would be a surplus of 83~700 opticians in 2010 and an undersupply of 15 to surplus of 6,118 opticians in 2025. Under the 'population to optician ratio', there would be a surplus of 1,055 opticians in 2010 and surplus of 9,376 opticians in 2025. Conclusions: We concluded that there would be oversupply for opticians until 2025, although the shortage and surplus of opticians might depend on the ratio's criteria. Hence, policies would need to be developed that could solve the imbalance in requirements and supply for opticians.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.19-26
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was to notify improvements needed in Cultural studies and Basic subjects to make Ophthalmic optic major curriculum qualitatively better, based on demand for cultural studies and basic subjects on and off the campus. Methods: A survey with questionnaires were carried out for both students and opticians in different provinces. For students, Gyunggi province, Gyunman province, Jeonnam province, and Jeonbuk province, and for opticians Seoul, Daejeon, Gyunggi province, and Jeonbuk province were selected. Results: Students' demand for expanding English courses in Foreign language curriculum was the highest and had significant difference between 2-years college and 3 or 4-years college ( p<.01), and opticians' demand differed from 2-years college and 3-years college ( p<.05). Students' demand for expanding Biology courses in science curriculum was the highest, and also a difference in expansion demands for Biology and physics subjects between 2-years college and 4-years college ( p<.05). There was also a difference in expansion demands for Vocational ethics and Management subjects in Basic subjects between 2-years college and 4-years college ( p<.05), and for Vocational ethic subject demands between college students and opticians ( p<.001), but for Management subject, both students and opticians demanded it to be expanded highly. Conclusions: Expansion and reinforcement in Management subject in Ophthalmic optic major was needed, as both Ophthalmic optic major students and opticians had the highest demand for this subject.