On October 17th–20th, 2024, the jubilee 15th National Congress of Opticians, associated with the National Chamber of Optics, organized every two years by the community of Polish ophthalmic opticians, took place. In addition to the educational and scientific part, the congress brings together exhibitors, opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists – all those associated with the ophthalmic industry.

The congress was attended by Prof. Jacek Pniewski from the Department of Photonics at IGF FUW and five European Studies in Ophthalmic Optics and Optometry students. Prof. Jacek Pniewski gave a lecture entitled “Regulation of the professions of optometrist and dispensing optician – opportunities and challenges – introduction to the debate”, and then took part in the debate “Should the profession of dispensing optician be a regulated profession?” In addition to him, the following people discussed: prof. Ryszard Naskręcki and Prof. Anna Przekoracka from Adam Mickiewicz University, Prof. Marek Zając from Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Dr Sylwia Kropacz-Sobkowiak, president-elect of the European Council of Optometry and Optics, and the president of KRIO Jan Witkowski and vice-president Paweł Kołder.

During the Congress, Prof. Jacek Pniewski was honored by KRIO with the bronze badge "for services to Polish optics."

The profession of an ophthalmic optician is undergoing profound transformations, caused by technological trends and social changes, which the law does not keep up with. The participation of representatives of the academic community in the series of KRIO Congresses has a long tradition, and it aims to develop practices that guarantee the provision of the highest quality vision correction to all those in need. We are glad that the Academic Centre for Optometrist Education at FUW (https://acko.uw.edu.pl/), whose operation is supported by employees of the Department of Photonics, is part of this work!

It is worth mentioning that the silver KRIO award for services to Polish optics was presented in 2011 to Marek Kowalczyk-Hernández, PhD, DSc, an IGF employee (currently retired, volunteer), creator of the specialization "ocular optics and optometry", conducted by the Faculty of Physics since 2009. In the photo from the ceremonial presentation of KRIO awards from the left: prof. Marek Zając from the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Andrzej Styszyński, PhD, from the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and Marek Kowalczyk-Hernandez from the Institute of Geophysics, Faculty of Physics, UW.

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Foto: FoTomasMedia.pl / Gazeta Optyka - dla specjalistów ochrony wzroku