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Statistics

2011 Health Manpower Survey

Summary of the Characteristics of Optometrists Enumerated

I.  Optometrists Covered

1.1  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.

1.2   The number of optometrists covered was 2 000.

1.3   Of the 2 000 optometrists covered, 1 391 had responded to the survey, giving an overall response rate of 69.6%.  Among the respondents, 1 303 were economically active*† (active) in the local optometry profession as at 31.3.2011 and 88 reported to be economically inactive*‡ (inactive) in the local optometry profession (Chart A) .

*   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 local 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 local 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”.

1.4   Of the 1 303 active optometrists enumerated, 1 297 were practising in the local optometry profession, three were seeking job and three were starting business in optometry profession at subsequent date or waiting to take up new job in optometry profession or having temporary sickness during the 30 days before the survey.  The survey results presented in paragraph 1.6 below were based on the 1 297 responding optometrists who were 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%.

1.5   Of the 88 inactive optometrists, 20 reported practising overseas, ten reported practising in the Mainland and 58 reported not seeking job in the local optometry profession during the 30 days before the survey (Chart A) . Among the 58 inactive optometrists who reported not seeking job, the main reasons reported for not seeking jobs 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.

1.6   Four active optometrists did not indicate the sex.  Of the remaining 1 293 active optometrists enumerated who were practising in the local optometry profession, 1 018 (78.7%) were male and 275 (21.3%) were female, giving an overall sex ratio (males per 100 females) of 370.  Apart from ten optometrists who did not indicate the age, the median age of the remaining 1 287 active optometrists enumerated was 47.0 years.  The median age of the active female optometrists enumerated was 37.0 years and that of their male counterparts was 48.0 years.

Chart A : Activity Status of Optometrists Covered

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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.

1.7   The responding active optometrists were requested to indicate the characteristics of their main jobs*.  Distribution of the main job by sector showed that the largest proportion (92.0%) of the active optometrists  were working in the private sector, followed by those working in the Government, academic and subvented sectors (4.9%) and the Hospital Authority (2.6%). Among the 1 193 active optometrists enumerated who were working in the private sector, the majority (92.7%) were working in optical company / shop, followed by those working in medical clinic† (3.6%) and private hospital‡ (1.6%).

1.8   The median age of the active optometrists enumerated was 48.0 years for those working in the private sector, followed by 39.0 years for those working in the Hospital Authority and 35.0 years for those working in the Government, academic and subvented sectors.

1.9   Of the 1 297 active optometrists enumerated, 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.

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

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

† Refers to medical clinic registered under Section 5 of the Medical Clinics Ordinance (Chapter 343).

‡  Refers to private institutions licensed under the Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Maternity Homes Registration Ordinance (Chapter 165).

1.11 Of the 1 297 active optometrists enumerated, 40.2% had exemption from the examination*, 25.4% held Bachelor’s Degree and 19.4% had certifications† issued by the Optometrists Board of Hong Kong as their basic qualifications.

1.12  Of the 1 297 active optometrists enumerated, 445 (34.3%) received / were receiving additional training and 852 (65.7%) did not receive any additional training.  Of the 445 active optometrists with additional training, 32 (7.2%) had not yet completed the additional training, 312 (70.1%) held Certificate / Higher Certificate, 23 (5.2%) held Doctoral Degree and 20 (4.5%) held Bachelor’s Degree as the highest qualification.

1.13  Of the 445 active optometrists enumerated who received / were receiving additional training, 45.6% were trained in optometry, 26.4% in contact lens technology, 10.2% in optometric research, 9.2% in orthokeratology and 6.1% in optical mechanics.

1.14  Of the 445 active optometrists enumerated who received / were receiving additional training, 218 (49.0%) were trained in one field of additional training.  Among them, 69.3% were trained in optometry, 10.1% in optometric research, 7.8% in orthokeratology and 6.9% in contact lens technolog y .

1.15 Regarding Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities, 952 (73.4%) of the active optometrists revealed that they had participated in CPD activities in 2011 and 345 (26.6%) did not participate in any CPD activities.  Among the 952 active optometrists enumerated who had participated in CPD activities, the distribution of CPD hours attained in the past 12 months was: 1 to 10 hours (60.0%), 11 to 20 hours (31.6%) and 21 to 30 hours (3.9%), 31 to 40 hours (0.9%) and more than 40 hours (3.6%) .

* Figure refers to those optometrists who had exemption from the examination conducted by the Optometrists Board of Hong Kong.

† Figure refers to those optometrists who had certifications issued by the Optometrists Board of Hong Kong.

II.  Trend Analysis

2.1  Comparison of findings of the 2011 HMS with those surveys before 2004 should be cautious as the survey methodology and reference date had been changed.

2.2  With the enactment of the Optometrists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) Regulation (Chapter 359F), registration of the profession of optometrists commenced on 1 December 1994 while disciplinary control of the profession was effective on 1 April 1996, it is mandatory for a person practising optometry in Hong Kong to hold a valid practising certificate.  Between 1996 and 2011, the number of optometrists increased from 1 257 to 2 000 (Chart B) .

Chart B: Number of Optometrists Covered by Year (1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011)

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In the 1996 Health Manpower Survey, the number of optometrists covered was 1 257. In the 2000 Health Manpower Survey, the number of optometrists covered was 1 864. In the 2004 Health Manpower Survey, the number of optometrists covered was 1 893. In the 2005 Health Manpower Survey, the number of optometrists covered was 1 898. In the 2006 Health Manpower Survey, the number of optometrists covered was 1 887. In the 2007 Health Manpower Survey, the number of optometrists covered was 1 912. In the 2008 Health Manpower Survey, the number of optometrists covered was 1 926. In the 2011 Health Manpower Survey, the number of optometrists covered was 2 000. Note: Figures of the year 2000 and before refer to the number of optometrists registered with the Optometrists Board of Hong Kong as at the 1st of July of the respective years, whereas the figures of 2004 to 2011 refer to that as at the 31st of March of the respective years.

2.3  The sex ratio (males per 100 females) of active optometrists enumerated increased from 524 in 1992 to 580 in 2000 and then decreased to 370 in 2011 (Table A) .

2.4  The mean age of the active optometrists enumerated increased from 33.5 years in 1992 to 46.7 years in 2011.

2.5  The proportion of the active optometrists enumerated working in the private sector decreased from 97.2% in 1992 to 92.0% in 2011.  On the other hand, the proportion in the Government, academic and subvented sectors increased from 1.6% in 1996 to 4.9% in 2011 (Table A) .

Table A : Selected Characteristics of Active Optometrists Enumerated (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011)

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Department of Health
The Government of the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region
March 2012

11 Jan 2013