10 May 2018
Inspiration can come from unlikely places. For Archimedes it was the realisation as he stepped into a lovely hot bath that the volume of water displaced was equal to the volume of the leg he had tentatively placed in the tub.
‘Eureka!’ he cried (I found it!).
I like this anecdote because it shows that some of the greatest scientific minds can have their best thoughts in the most humdrum settings.
Perhaps your own Eureka moment could happen on the underground, while walking in the park or sipping a cup of tea. When the mind wanders sometimes it can trip over an idea that might just work.
Novel ideas that the OT team has covered from the prestigious annual Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting in Hawaii include using lemon-tasting oil, lightbulbs and caffeine eye drops to tackle myopia.
Studies of a robot that can interact with patients and an at-home optical coherence tomography device were also detailed at the event.
Closer to home, I recently spoke with BBR Optometry owner, Nick Rumney, and Aston University academic, Dr Shehzad Naroo, about the benefits of having a researcher embedded in optometric practice.
Dr Naroo explained how involvement in an Innovate UK scheme is “a win all around” for those involved. Researchers gain valuable experience while the practice is able to adapt and improve through the evidence produced.
The initiative has taken the guesswork out of whether a new service or piece of equipment will add value to BBR Optometry, while at the same time enhancing Mr Rumney’s sense of career satisfaction.
“It makes for a more wholesome life in the practice,” he emphasised.
How are you incorporating innovation into your practice? If you have a story that you think OT readers might be interested in, please get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Image credit: Getty
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