Optometry is a health care profession which involves examining the eyes and applicable visual systems for defects or abnormalities as well as the medical diagnosis and management of eye disease. Traditionally, the field of optometry began with the primary focus of correcting refractive error through the use of spectacles. Modern day optometry, however, has evolved through time so that the education curriculum additionally includes intensive medical training in the diagnosis and management of ocular disease in countries where the profession is established and regulated.
Impact assessments (IAs) have the potential to boost sustainable development and evidence informed policy making. An EU initiative aimed to realise the full potential of the many developed tools that support IA but remain unexploited by policymakers.