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Eye (London, England) Apr 2021
Topics: Humans; Ophthalmologists; Ophthalmology
PubMed: 32632299
DOI: 10.1038/s41433-020-1075-x -
World Journal of Gastroenterology Aug 2017Clinical manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are not locally restricted to the gastrointestinal tract, and a significant portion of patients have... (Review)
Review
Clinical manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are not locally restricted to the gastrointestinal tract, and a significant portion of patients have involvement of other organs and systems. The visual system is one of the most frequently affected, mainly by inflammatory disorders such as episcleritis, uveitis and scleritis. A critical review of available literature concerning ocular involvement in IBD, as it appears in PubMed, was performed. Episcleritis, the most common ocular extraintestinal manifestation (EIM), seems to be more associated with IBD activity when compared with other ocular EIMs. In IBD patients, anterior uveitis has an insidious onset, it is longstanding and bilateral, and not related to the intestinal disease activity. Systemic steroids or immunosuppressants may be necessary in severe ocular inflammation cases, and control of the underlying bowel disease is important to prevent recurrence. Our review revealed that ocular involvement is more prevalent in Crohn's disease than ulcerative colitis, in active IBD, mainly in the presence of other EIMs. The ophthalmic symptoms in IBD are mainly non-specific and their relevance may not be recognized by the clinician; most ophthalmic manifestations are treatable, and resolve without sequel upon prompt treatment. A collaborative clinical care team for management of IBD that includes ophthalmologists is central for improvement of quality care for these patients, and it is also cost-effective.
Topics: Gastroenterologists; Immunosuppressive Agents; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Intersectoral Collaboration; Ophthalmologists; Patient Care Team; Prevalence; Recurrence; Scleritis; Uveitis
PubMed: 28932076
DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i32.5836 -
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association... Dec 1989Lasers produce a coherent, focused, monochromatic, high-energy form of light. Because laser surgery is more versatile and precise and is freer of complications than... (Review)
Review
Lasers produce a coherent, focused, monochromatic, high-energy form of light. Because laser surgery is more versatile and precise and is freer of complications than conventional surgery it has become widely accepted in ophthalmology over the past 10 years. Applications range from routine procedures in the fundus to recent, more delicate interventions in the cornea. The argon laser is the most widely used to treat extrafoveal chorioretinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy; it has also been used successfully to treat glaucoma by iridectomy or trabeculoplasty. The krypton red laser is the argon laser's counterpart in the treatment of subfoveal and pigment-epithelium-related diseases. Posterior capsulotomy is the most widespread and successful intervention with the neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet crystal laser; this laser is also used to cut vitreous traction bands and is increasingly used in iridectomy. Although the use of the excimer laser in corneal surgery is still largely investigational it has been shown to produce precise cuts in corneal layers for the correction of myopia or astigmatism. The variable-wavelength dye laser, capable of reaching a specific level in the retina or choroid, has offered exciting new developments, and it promises to soon be part of the ophthalmologist's armamentarium in the treatment of eye disease.
Topics: Eye; Eye Diseases; Humans; Iris Diseases; Laser Therapy; Lens, Crystalline; Retinal Diseases
PubMed: 2684379
DOI: No ID Found -
Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia 2022Medical specialties have recognized that breaking bad news assists clinical practice by mitigating the impact of difficult conversations. This scenario also encourages... (Review)
Review
Medical specialties have recognized that breaking bad news assists clinical practice by mitigating the impact of difficult conversations. This scenario also encourages various studies on breaking bad news in ophthalmology since certain ocular diagnoses can be considered bad news. Thus, the objective is to review the scientific literature on breaking bad news in ophthalmology. The literature databases like MEDLINE/PUBMED, EMBASE, LILACS, SCOPUS, COCHRANE, and SCIELO, were screened for related research publications. Two independent reviewers read all the articles and short-listed the most relevant ones. Seven articles, in the formats of original article, review, editorial, oral communication, and correspondence, were reviewed. Conclusively it reveals that ophthalmologists are concerned with communicating bad news effectively but lack related studies. Nevertheless, there is a growing realization that training in breaking bad news can increase physicians' confidence during communication, thus, benefiting the therapeutic relationship with the patient and his family. Therefore, it would be valuable to include breaking bad news training in the curriculum of residencies.
Topics: Humans; Physician-Patient Relations; Ophthalmology; Internship and Residency; Communication; Ophthalmologists
PubMed: 36169442
DOI: 10.5935/0004-2749.2022-0104 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2021Smartphone-based fundus imaging (SBFI) is a low-cost approach for screening of various ophthalmic diseases and particularly suited to resource limited settings. Thus, we...
Smartphone-based fundus imaging (SBFI) is a low-cost approach for screening of various ophthalmic diseases and particularly suited to resource limited settings. Thus, we assessed how best to upskill alternative healthcare cadres in SBFI and whether quality of obtained images is comparable to ophthalmologists. Ophthalmic assistants and ophthalmologists received a standardized training to SBFI (Heine iC2 combined with an iPhone 6) and 10 training examinations for capturing central retinal images. Examination time, total number of images, image alignment, usable field-of-view, and image quality (sharpness/focus, reflex artifacts, contrast/illumination) were analyzed. Thirty examiners (14 ophthalmic assistants and 16 ophthalmologists) and 14 volunteer test subjects were included. Mean examination time (1st and 10th training, respectively: 2.17 ± 1.54 and 0.56 ± 0.51 min, p < .0001), usable field-of-view (92 ± 16% and 98 ± 6.0%, p = .003) and image quality in terms of sharpness/focus (p = .002) improved by the training. Examination time was significantly shorter for ophthalmologists compared to ophthalmic assistants (10th training: 0.35 ± 0.21 and 0.79 ± 0.65 min, p = .011), but there was no significant difference in usable field-of-view and image quality. This study demonstrates the high learnability of SBFI with a relatively short training and mostly comparable results across healthcare cadres. The results will aid implementing and planning further SBFI field studies.
Topics: Adult; Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; Female; Fundus Oculi; Humans; Learning Curve; Male; Ophthalmic Assistants; Ophthalmologists; Retina; Smartphone; Young Adult
PubMed: 34135452
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92232-w -
Ophthalmic Research 2021The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of back pain among German ophthalmologists, to investigate the relationship towards age, gender, various...
INTRODUCTION
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of back pain among German ophthalmologists, to investigate the relationship towards age, gender, various profession-related factors, to correlate localization of pain to subspecialties, and to explore individual therapeutic and coping strategies.
METHODS
In this prospective, cross-sectional survey, a 9-item questionnaire was sent via mail to all members of the German professional association of ophthalmologists "Berufsverband der Augenärzte Deutschlands e.V. (BVA)." Responses were analyzed according to a pre-specified analysis plan.
RESULTS
From a total of 5,954 members contacted, 1,861 copies (31%) were received back, of which 1,807 (30%) were suitable for analysis. 913 (51%) participants were female and 876 (48%) were male, with a median age of 50 years (interquartile range: 44; 57). 1,464 ophthalmologists (81%) reported current back problems, considerably more than had been reported in the general population or in other medical specialties. Older age, female gender, and higher number of professional years appeared to be risk factors for developing back pain. Overall, neck pain was the leading symptom in 951 attendees (65%) but differed between ophthalmologists who primarily performed conservative treatment (cervical spine) and those who performed surgery (mainly lumbar spine). 1,037 participants (71%) link their complaints to their occupational activity. Exercising and back training were reported as common strategies for prevention and coping with the problem. Recommendations for improvement were mainly ergonomic optimization of the working place.
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of back pain complaints in German ophthalmologists is high. Neck pain (65%) was the leading localization, followed by low back pain (53%) and shoulder (38%) problems, which might emphasize a special back pain complaint profile in ophthalmologists. Low back pain seems to be more common in ophthalmologists with surgical specialization than in those with mainly medical tasks. The high prevalence of back pain in ophthalmologists should be communicated with employers, the industry, and professional societies to develop and implement a strategy to prevent occupational-related musculoskeletal disorders and preserve the ability to work and the quality of life.
Topics: Back Pain; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Germany; Humans; Low Back Pain; Male; Middle Aged; Neck Pain; Occupational Diseases; Ophthalmologists; Ophthalmology; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life
PubMed: 34348327
DOI: 10.1159/000517574 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology May 2023
Topics: Humans; Ophthalmologists; Ophthalmology
PubMed: 37202980
DOI: 10.4103/IJO.IJO_222_23 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Oct 2019
Topics: Eye Enucleation; Humans; Medical Errors; Ophthalmologists; Retinoblastoma; Safety Management
PubMed: 31546468
DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_1728_19 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Sep 2022Schematic diagrams have been important tools in Ophthalmology for ages. These are vital tools to document ocular pathologies, assist in the comparison of clinical... (Review)
Review
Schematic diagrams have been important tools in Ophthalmology for ages. These are vital tools to document ocular pathologies, assist in the comparison of clinical records on follow-up visits, serve as standardized means of communication between ophthalmologists, educating trainees and postgraduates, and helping in the easy follow-up of disease course over a period. There are standardized color codes for depicting different pathologies in the anterior and posterior segments. The understanding of these guidelines allows proper documentation of findings and helps in standardizing ophthalmic care. This method of documentation is beneficial as this is a less expensive tool, provides immediate records at a glance, allows distinctive marking of clinical findings not possible to document with clinical photographs, and can help in medico-legal cases as well. This article focuses on highlighting the standard guidelines that will be useful for training ophthalmologists. This article primarily focuses on various color-codings for anterior and posterior segment schematic representations, along with a brief touch on the importance of color-coding in glaucoma and standardized eye drop (vials) color codes as per the American Academy of Ophthalmology guidelines. We believe this can be taken as a template for future reference by all trainees, postgraduates, fellows, and clinician ophthalmologists in their day-to-day clinical practice.
Topics: Clinical Competence; Education, Medical, Graduate; Humans; Internship and Residency; Ophthalmologists; Ophthalmology; United States
PubMed: 36018086
DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_442_22 -
JAMA Ophthalmology Dec 2022In order to continue to clarify and maintain their role as eye physicians and surgeons, ophthalmologists may want to understand how they are viewed in the public eye and...
IMPORTANCE
In order to continue to clarify and maintain their role as eye physicians and surgeons, ophthalmologists may want to understand how they are viewed in the public eye and online.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the representation of ophthalmologists (OMD) and optometrists (ODs) when a Google search for "eye doctor near me" is made from each county in the US.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This population-based cross-sectional study used publicly available data on OMDs and ODs and a Google search application programming interface (API) to search the phrase "eye doctor near me" from the geographic coordinates of each county centroid in the US (searched June 30, 2021). The top 10 sites and 3 Google map links, excluding physician ratings sites, were recorded. Data from the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services were used to estimate the real number of OMDs and ODs per county.
MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES
The primary outcome was the mean proportion of OMDs listed by Google search as compared with the real proportion of OMDs for the US overall and for each state and county.
RESULTS
A total of 2955 counties from 52 states and territories were included. The overall mean proportion of OMDs (OMDs with ODs) from the Google search of all counties was 4726.97 of 16 345.93 (28.91%), which was also less than the real proportion of ODs (15 778 of 41 975 [37.58%], a difference of 8.67%; 95% CI, 37.13-38.05%; P < .001). OMDs were underrepresented by Google in 35 of 52 states and territories (67.3%).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In most counties in the US, Google search of the phrase "eye doctor near me" may underrepresent ophthalmologists. Ophthalmologists may want to pursue search engine optimization to try to achieve balanced representation online.
Topics: Aged; United States; Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Search Engine; Medicare; Optometrists; Ophthalmologists; Vision Disorders
PubMed: 36264555
DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2022.4343