Buckeye Optometrists Around the World Tuvia Gilbert (OD’14)
In our new feature, “Buckeye Optometrists Around the World,” we focus on Ohio State alumni who practice outside of the U.S. While we know our profession and scope of practice can vary from state to state, there are many unknowns when we consider practicing in another country.
In this issue, we feature Tuvia Gilbert (OD’14), who practices in Israel. Dr. Gilbert is a third-generation optometrist; his grandfather is the late Ronald Gilbert (OD’55), his father is Marc Gilbert, OD, and his uncle is Heath Gilbert (OD’92). After graduation, Dr. Gilbert worked at Dayton Optometric Center with his father and uncle and at Nova Vision in Beavercreek, Ohio, where he honed his skills in developmental optometry and vision therapy. After several years, he and his wife decided to move to Israel for spiritual and religious reasons. They have lived in Jerusalem for the last three years.
Dr. Gilbert reports that the mode of practice in Israel is much different than in the U.S. For example, primary eye care in Israel is performed by ophthalmologists, and many ophthalmologists refer patients to optometrists for refractive care. The Israeli optometrist’s training involves more coursework on spectacles, contact lenses, low vision, and vision training and less disease detection and management. Optometrists in Israel have no diagnostic or therapeutic pharmacological rights.
For my specialty, developmental/behavioral optometry and vision therapy, there is a very high demand. I love being able to fill this niche, and hope to continue training and spreading good optometric vision therapy for future generations.
According to Dr. Gilbert, getting a license in Israel required taking licensing exams in two parts, written and practical. After that, he was issued a temporary license, requiring him to work under another optometrist for a year before obtaining permanent licensure.
“I love living in Israel, and I love practicing optometry here,” says Dr. Gilbert. “Although at times I wish I could do more medical care, I still have a good network of ophthalmologists for referral, and I do anterior segment plus posterior pole evaluations on my patients. Being a foreign-trained doctor from the U.S. is looked upon highly in Israel. For my specialty, developmental/behavioral optometry and vision therapy, there is a very high demand. I love being able to fill this niche, and hope to continue training and spreading good optometric vision therapy for future generations. We actually just recently opened a COVD (College of Vision Development) Israel chapter.”
Dr. Gilbert currently works in a vision therapy clinic, where he has hired a general optometrist and is working to bring in an ophthalmologist as well.
