Thesis Proposal Optometrist in Morocco Casablanca – Free Word Template Download with AI

This thesis proposal outlines a critical research initiative focused on the role and development of the optometrist within Morocco's healthcare landscape, with specific emphasis on Casablanca. As Morocco undergoes significant urbanization and demographic shifts, Casablanca—a city of over 4 million inhabitants—faces mounting challenges in accessible eye care. This study investigates the current scope, limitations, and potential expansion of optometric services in urban Casablanca to mitigate preventable vision loss and enhance primary eye health delivery. The research will employ mixed-methods approaches to assess workforce capacity, service gaps, patient needs, and policy integration within Morocco's evolving healthcare system.

Morocco has made strides in national eye health programming under the Ministry of Health’s National Eye Care Plan (2017–2030), yet significant gaps persist, particularly in urban centers like Casablanca. The city’s rapid growth has strained existing ophthalmology services, leading to overcrowded clinics and long waiting times for specialized care. Crucially, the underutilized potential of the optometrist—trained to diagnose refractive errors, conduct preliminary eye screenings, and manage common conditions—remains largely untapped in Morocco's primary healthcare structure. This thesis argues that integrating qualified optometrists into Casablanca’s public and private health networks is not merely beneficial but essential for sustainable eye care delivery. With visual impairment affecting an estimated 3 million Moroccans (WHO, 2021), prioritizing the optometrist profession in Morocco Casablanca represents a pragmatic, cost-effective strategy to alleviate systemic pressures on ophthalmic services.

Despite Casablanca hosting most of Morocco's major eye hospitals and training institutions, the distribution and scope of optometric care remain uneven. Key issues include:

• Workforce Shortage: Fewer than 150 certified optometrists serve over 4 million residents, with concentrations in affluent districts and minimal presence in low-income neighborhoods like Hay Mohammadi or Sidi Bernoussi.
• Service Fragmentation: Optometrists often operate as independent practitioners without clear referral pathways to ophthalmologists, leading to delayed treatment of conditions like diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma.
• Cultural and Educational Barriers: Many residents still prefer traditional remedies for vision issues due to limited public awareness about the optometrist’s clinical role, particularly in Casablanca's peri-urban communities.

These gaps exacerbate preventable blindness, especially among children and elderly populations. This study directly addresses these systemic shortcomings through a Casablanca-specific lens.

National studies (e.g., Boukhrissi et al., 2019) highlight Morocco’s historical reliance on ophthalmologists for all eye care, marginalizing the optometrist’s scope. However, global evidence—from WHO reports on Africa to successful models in Kenya and India—demonstrates that optometrists significantly reduce ophthalmology backlogs by handling 80% of routine eye health needs. In Morocco Casablanca, a 2022 Ministry of Health pilot at Ibn Rochd University Hospital showed that integrating optometrists into primary clinics decreased patient wait times by 35%. Yet, these models lack scaling strategies. This thesis builds on such precedents while addressing Morocco-specific constraints: regulatory ambiguities in the optometry profession’s legal mandate and limited university training programs (only two accredited optometry schools nationally, neither in Casablanca).

This study employs a sequential mixed-methods design:

1. Phase 1: Quantitative Assessment – Survey of 150 optometrists across Casablanca’s public and private sectors (via the Moroccan Optometric Association) to map service access, caseload, and barriers. Analysis will identify underserved districts using GIS mapping.
2. Phase 2: Qualitative Deep Dives – Focus groups with 40 patients from diverse Casablanca neighborhoods and in-depth interviews with 15 healthcare administrators (MOH, hospitals) to understand cultural perceptions and systemic bottlenecks.
3. Phase 3: Policy Integration Framework – Co-designing a scalable optometrist deployment model with key stakeholders, focusing on Morocco Casablanca’s municipal health infrastructure.

Data analysis will use SPSS for quantitative patterns and thematic coding for qualitative insights. Ethical approval will be sought from Mohammed V University in Casablanca.

This thesis proposes a transformative roadmap to position the optometrist as a cornerstone of Morocco’s eye health strategy, specifically tailored for Casablanca:

• A comprehensive map of optometric service deserts in Casablanca, guiding targeted resource allocation.
• Policy recommendations for integrating optometrists into Morocco’s National Eye Care Plan (e.g., clarifying their legal scope in primary care, creating referral protocols).
• A replicable training module for optometry students at Casablanca-based institutions to address workforce shortages.

The anticipated impact includes reduced ophthalmology wait times, earlier detection of sight-threatening conditions in high-risk groups (e.g., diabetics), and economic benefits through productivity gains—especially vital for Casablanca’s dynamic economy. By centering Morocco Casablanca as the case study, this work directly informs national health policy while addressing the city’s urgent urban health crisis.

The role of the optometrist in Morocco Casablanca is no longer a niche academic question but a public health necessity. As cities globally prioritize accessible, primary care-driven solutions, Morocco must leverage its urban hubs to innovate. This thesis proposal establishes that expanding optometric services—through policy reform, training expansion, and community engagement—is feasible and urgently needed in Casablanca. The findings will provide actionable evidence for the Moroccan Ministry of Health to institutionalize the optometrist within primary eye care frameworks, ensuring no citizen in Morocco Casablanca faces preventable vision loss due to systemic neglect. This research bridges a critical gap between global optometry best practices and Morocco’s unique urban health realities.

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