| المستخلص: |
Aim: This study was aimed to assess the role of Sudanese optometrists on the primary eye care in Khartoum State of Sudan. Method: This was descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in seven districts at Khartoum state in the period between Feb.2018 to Jan.2019. The data was collected by questionnaire distributed to 300 optometrists working in primary health centers at Khartoum state of Sudan. Result: The findings revealed that most of optometrists (99.7%) stated that they communicated with their patients to collected information about eye health. Vast majority of optometrists (99%) reported that during eye examinations taken patient history about general health, family history ocular history this include the pervious treatment or any management related to the eye. The most of the responders (90.3 %) reported the major problem facing him to deal with patient eye conditions is unavailability of the ophthalmic equipment practically the pediatric ophthalmic instruments as well as instrument for binocular vision. Only (22%) of optometrists reported that they used diagnosis dyes for their patient. Half of optometrists (50.3%) reported that referred their patients to ophthalmologists for further diagnosis and treatment. Majority of the optometrists reported that main challenges facing him to performing primary eye care were the following: there is no clear job description organizing the work, inadequate information about eye care and lack of skills to deal with primary eye care, and the fear of the legal issue. In addition to lack of instrument for primary eye care. Conclusion: The main barriers for Sudanese optometrists as primary eye care providers; these is no clear job description organizing the work, lack of ophthalmic equipment for primary eye care in optometric centers as well as lack of information and skills to deal with eye problems. Therefore, there should be clear job description of optometrists in the level of federal ministry of health, ministry of health of the state, as well as in the national council for medical and health profession. There should be annual training for optometrists on how to deal with primary eye care and to improve the knowledge of community about the eye care.
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