Statistics

2011 Health Manpower Survey on Optometrists

Key Findings

1. The optometrists covered in the 2011 HMS were optometrists registered with the Optometrists Board of Hong Kong under the Supplementary Medical Professions Ordinance (Chapter 359) as at the survey reference date - 31.3.2011.  

2. The number of optometrists covered was 2 000. 

3. Of the 2 000 registered optometrists covered, 1 391 had responded to the survey, giving an overall response rate of 69.6%. Of the 1 391 responding optometrists, 1 303 (93.7%) were economically active ^*† (active) whereas 88 (6.3%) reported to be economically inactive ^*‡ (inactive) in the local optometry profession (See Chart) . 

4. Of the 1 303 active optometrists, 1 297 (99.5%) were practising in the local optometry profession, three (0.2%) were seeking jobs and three (0.2%) were starting business in optometry profession at subsequent date, waiting to take up new jobs in the local optometry profession or having temporary sickness during the 30 days before the survey. 

5. The survey findings presented below were based on the 1 297 responding optometrists practising in the local optometry profession as at 31.3.2011. As some information was missing from certain questionnaires, percentages presented below may not add up to 100%.

(i)

Four optometrists did not indicate their sex. Of the remaining 1 293 active optometrists enumerated, 1 018 (78.7%) were male and 275 (21.3%) were female, giving an overall sex ratio (males per 100 females) of 370. Ten optometrists did not indicate the age and the median age of the remaining 1 287 active optometrists enumerated was 47.0 years.

(ii)

Distribution by sector of the main job ^§ showed that 1 193 (92.0%) were working in the private sector, followed by 64 (4.9%) in the Government, academic and subvented sectors and 34 (2.6%) in the Hospital Authority.

(iii)

91.8% spent most of their working time on service of optometric care, followed by 4.3% on administration / management, 1.1% on teaching and 1.1% on research.

(iv)

The median number of hours of work (excluding meal breaks) per week of the 1 297 active optometrists enumerated was 55.0 hours. 72 (5.6%) optometrists were required to undertake on-call duty (excluding normal duty), with a median number of 9.5 hours of on-call duty (excluding normal duty) per week.

* In the survey, the criteria used in defining economically active / inactive followed those recommended by the International Labour Organization, which are also being used by the Census and Statistics Department in Hong Kong.

† “Economically active” optometrists comprised all “employed” and “unemployed” optometrists. “Employed” optometrists referred to those optometrists practising in the optometry profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, while “unemployed” optometrists referred to those optometrists who (a) were not practising in the optometry profession during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the optometry profession during the 30 days before the survey.

‡ “Economically inactive” optometrists comprised the optometrists who were not practising in the optometry profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, excluding those who had been on leave during the survey period and who were “economically active” but “unemployed”.

§ Main jobs referred to the jobs in which the optometrists had spent most of their working time.

6. Among the 88 inactive optometrists (See Chart) :

(i)

20 optometrists reported practising overseas and ten optometrists reported practising in the Mainland.

(ii)

58 optometrists reported not practising in the optometry profession in Hong Kong and not seeking job in the local optometry profession during the 30 days before the survey. The reasons reported for not seeking job included: 30 (51.7%) were working in other professions, nine (15.5%) were engaged in household duties, eight (13.8%) were retired and five (8.6%) wanted to take rest / having no motive to work / having no financial need, etc.

Activity Status of Optometrists Covered

Text Version

Of the 2 000 optometrists covered, 1 391 (69.6%) had responded to the survey, while the remaining 609 (30.5%) had not responded. Among the respondents, 1 303 (93.7%) were active in the local optometry profession whereas 88 (6.3%) reported to be inactive in the local optometry profession.

Among the 1 303 active optometrists, 1 297 (99.5%) were practising in the local optometry profession, three (0.2%) (a) were not practising in the optometry profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the optometry profession during the 30 days before the survey, and the remaining three (0.2%) (a) were not practising in the optometry profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had not been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) were starting business in optometry profession at subsequent date, waiting to take up new jobs in optometry profession or having temporary sickness during the 30 days before the survey.

Of the 88 inactive optometrists, 58 (65.9%) reported not practising in the optometry profession in Hong Kong and not seeking job in the local optometry profession during the 30 days before the survey, 20 (22.7%) optometrists reported practising overseas and ten (11.4%) reported practising in the Mainland.

Of the 58 inactive optometrists, 30 (51.7%) were working in other professions, nine (15.5%) were engaged in household duties, eight (13.8%) were retired, five (8.6%) wanted to take rest/having no motive to work/having no financial need and the remaining six (10.3%)* had other reasons for being inactive.

Note:

* Figure refers to the number of responding optometrists who reported emigrated, undertaking studies, etc.

Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Notes﹕

Figure refers to the number of responding optometrists who (a) were not practising in the optometry profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the optometry profession during the 30 days before the survey.

†

Figure refers to the number of responding optometrists who (a) were not practising in the optometry profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had not been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) were starting business in optometry profession at subsequent date, waiting to take up new jobs in optometry profession or having temporary sickness during the 30 days before the survey.

‡

Figure refers to the number of responding optometrists who reported emigrated, undertaking study, etc.

Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Department of Health
The Government of the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region
29 December 2011

11 Jan 2013