“No reason” why glaucoma patients cannot be seen in the community

The acute sector is in crisis as outpatient departments are full to overflowing with patients, according to chief executive of the Local Optical Committee Support Unit (LOCSU), Richard Whittington.

Speaking to OT at 100% Optical in January, Mr Whittington said: “If a glaucoma patient is stable, most clinicians will agree that there is no reason at all, while under the correct governance procedures, why they cannot be seen and reviewed in the community by optometrists.”

Medical director at Newmedica, Nigel Kirkpatrick, added that optometrists seeing patients, who have undergone surgery, in the community is the future.

“We’ve devised a series of pathways and using some technological advances to allow patients to be shared between optometrists and local ophthalmologists,” he explained to OT.

During 100% Optical, LOCSU extended its national framework for cataract care to stable glaucoma monitoring.