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Expanding the traditional role of optometry: Current practice patterns and attitudes to enhanced glaucoma services in Ireland

PURPOSE: To investigate current diagnostic equipment availability and usage for glaucoma case-finding within community optometric practice, and to explore optometrists’ attitudes towards an enhanced scope of clinical practice. METHODS: An anonymous survey was developed, validated, and distributed to...

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Autores principales: Barrett, Catriona, Loughman, James
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Elsevier 2018
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6147747/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29650469
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.optom.2018.02.004
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author Barrett, Catriona
Loughman, James
author_facet Barrett, Catriona
Loughman, James
author_sort Barrett, Catriona
collection PubMed
description PURPOSE: To investigate current diagnostic equipment availability and usage for glaucoma case-finding within community optometric practice, and to explore optometrists’ attitudes towards an enhanced scope of clinical practice. METHODS: An anonymous survey was developed, validated, and distributed to all optometrists in Ireland. RESULTS: 199 optometrists (27% of registrants) responded to the survey. 87% had access to the traditional triad of tests necessary to conduct adequate glaucoma case finding. Standard automated perimetry was the most commonly absent (13%) of the three essential screening tests. 64% of respondents indicated that monocular direct ophthalmoscopy was their first choice technique for fundus examination. 47% of respondents had access to contact applanation tonometry, though just 14% used it as first choice during routine eye examinations. Among the 73 participants with access to both contact and non-contact tonometry (NCT), 80.8%, used NCT preferentially. The significant majority (98%) indicated an interest in enhanced glaucoma services with 57% agreeing that postgraduate training was an essential prerequisite to any increase in scope of practice. CONCLUSION: Irish optometrists are well equipped with the traditional tests used in glaucoma detection. However, implementation of enhanced referral schemes or glaucoma monitoring or management services would require equipment upgrades and associated training in at least half of the surveyed practices. There is strong interest in furthering optometric professional development and expanding the traditional role boundaries of optometrists, incorporating further education as an essential prerequisite to an enhanced scope of practice.
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spelling pubmed-61477472018-09-26 Expanding the traditional role of optometry: Current practice patterns and attitudes to enhanced glaucoma services in Ireland Barrett, Catriona Loughman, James J Optom Original article PURPOSE: To investigate current diagnostic equipment availability and usage for glaucoma case-finding within community optometric practice, and to explore optometrists’ attitudes towards an enhanced scope of clinical practice. METHODS: An anonymous survey was developed, validated, and distributed to all optometrists in Ireland. RESULTS: 199 optometrists (27% of registrants) responded to the survey. 87% had access to the traditional triad of tests necessary to conduct adequate glaucoma case finding. Standard automated perimetry was the most commonly absent (13%) of the three essential screening tests. 64% of respondents indicated that monocular direct ophthalmoscopy was their first choice technique for fundus examination. 47% of respondents had access to contact applanation tonometry, though just 14% used it as first choice during routine eye examinations. Among the 73 participants with access to both contact and non-contact tonometry (NCT), 80.8%, used NCT preferentially. The significant majority (98%) indicated an interest in enhanced glaucoma services with 57% agreeing that postgraduate training was an essential prerequisite to any increase in scope of practice. CONCLUSION: Irish optometrists are well equipped with the traditional tests used in glaucoma detection. However, implementation of enhanced referral schemes or glaucoma monitoring or management services would require equipment upgrades and associated training in at least half of the surveyed practices. There is strong interest in furthering optometric professional development and expanding the traditional role boundaries of optometrists, incorporating further education as an essential prerequisite to an enhanced scope of practice. Elsevier 2018 2018-04-09 /pmc/articles/PMC6147747/ /pubmed/29650469 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.optom.2018.02.004 Text en © 2018 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
spellingShingle Original article
Barrett, Catriona
Loughman, James
Expanding the traditional role of optometry: Current practice patterns and attitudes to enhanced glaucoma services in Ireland
title Expanding the traditional role of optometry: Current practice patterns and attitudes to enhanced glaucoma services in Ireland
title_full Expanding the traditional role of optometry: Current practice patterns and attitudes to enhanced glaucoma services in Ireland
title_fullStr Expanding the traditional role of optometry: Current practice patterns and attitudes to enhanced glaucoma services in Ireland
title_full_unstemmed Expanding the traditional role of optometry: Current practice patterns and attitudes to enhanced glaucoma services in Ireland
title_short Expanding the traditional role of optometry: Current practice patterns and attitudes to enhanced glaucoma services in Ireland
title_sort expanding the traditional role of optometry: current practice patterns and attitudes to enhanced glaucoma services in ireland
topic Original article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6147747/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29650469
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.optom.2018.02.004
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