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Community Eye Health 2019
PubMed: 32123466
DOI: No ID Found -
Clinical & Experimental Optometry May 2021: Clinical optometric practice is underpinned by a rigorous research base, the primary evidence for which is publications in refereed scientific journals. Leading...
: Clinical optometric practice is underpinned by a rigorous research base, the primary evidence for which is publications in refereed scientific journals. Leading optometrists who publish this work should be identified and celebrated.: This work aims to derive publication metrics of the leading optometric researchers worldwide.: An extensive global search was conducted to discover leading optometric researchers; 480 names were identified. A custom-designed bibliographic search tool was developed to interrogate the Scopus database (Elsevier) and extract publication metrics using the unique Scopus Author Identifier number for each optometrist. On 13 January 2021, the full list was reduced to 200 optometrists (the 'Top 200') ranked by h-index - the 'Global Optometrist Top 200 Research Ranking'. The output from the custom tool automatically updates every 24 hours and is available at www.optomrankings.com.: The Top 200 have h-indices ranging from 20 to 67 and have published between 28 and 440 papers. Sixty one (30.5%) are women. Konrad Pesudovs has the highest h-index (67) and citations (51,193). The most prolific author is Robert Hess (442 papers). David Piñero is publishing at the fastest rate (17.6 papers per year). The Top 200 work in 13 nations, of whom 172 (86.0%) work in four nations: USA - 76 (38.0%), Australia - 43 (21.5%), UK - 41 (20.5%) and Canada - 16 (8.0%). Of the 72 institutions represented, the University of California, Berkeley, USA is home to the most Top 200 optometrists (17) and has the highest combined h-index of Top 200 optometrists (132).: The optometric profession is supported by a robust research base, prosecuted by a large international cohort of optometric researchers who publish extensively on a broad range of ophthalmic issues and whose work is highly cited. The 200 most impactful optometrists in the world are identified.
Topics: Australia; Bibliometrics; Databases, Factual; Female; Humans; Optometrists; Optometry
PubMed: 33689668
DOI: 10.1080/08164622.2021.1878863 -
Clinical & Experimental Optometry Mar 2022Healthcare in the twenty-first century has witnessed an increased use of prescription drugs. As a member of a patient's health care team, optometrists should be aware of... (Review)
Review
Healthcare in the twenty-first century has witnessed an increased use of prescription drugs. As a member of a patient's health care team, optometrists should be aware of the pharmaceuticals taken by patients and their potential ocular complications. This paper will discuss the most prescribed medications in Australia today and their effects on the visual system. The paper will review the agents used to treat six common systemic conditions, their frequency of use, mechanism of action, clinical indications, and potential ocular manifestations. Literature has documented both positive and negative associations of systemic medications on the eye's health. Many associations documented here have shown conflicting evidence, thus warranting further investigation. Based on the frequency and severity of the ocular manifestations in the literature, recommendations for clinical care are given. Being familiar with the most common ocular side effects associated with common systemic medications aids in the correct and timely diagnosis of ocular complications to prevent permanent sequelae.
Topics: Australia; Eye Diseases; Humans; Optometrists; Optometry; Pharmaceutical Preparations
PubMed: 34407728
DOI: 10.1080/08164622.2021.1945409 -
Clinical & Experimental Optometry Sep 2020Mucocele of the paranasal sinuses is a slowly expanding benign lesion developing when there is impeded physiological drainage of the mucous produced by the epithelial... (Review)
Review
Mucocele of the paranasal sinuses is a slowly expanding benign lesion developing when there is impeded physiological drainage of the mucous produced by the epithelial lining of the paranasal sinuses, at the sinus ostium, which is an opening that connects the sinus to the nasal cavity. Aetiologies of ostial occlusion include infection, allergy, trauma, previous surgery, benign neoplasm (osteoma or fibrous dysplasia), and malignant or metastatic tumours. Mucoceles commonly develop in the frontal sinus (70-80 per cent), followed by the ethmoid (25 per cent), frontoethmoidal (10-14 per cent), and maxillary (three per cent or less) sinuses. The most common manifestations in these cases are ocular oedema, proptosis (22-83 per cent), and diplopia (28 per cent). Due to these ocular signs and symptoms, the optometrist may be first in line managing paranasal sinus disease patients, reducing the risk of permanent damage. A case report and review of frontoethmoidal mucocele will be discussed in this report, to include the role of the optometrist in its management and treatment.
Topics: Diagnosis, Differential; Diplopia; Ethmoid Sinus; Frontal Sinus; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Mucocele; Paranasal Sinus Diseases; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 31773805
DOI: 10.1111/cxo.13006 -
Clinical & Experimental Optometry Sep 2018
Topics: Australia; Awards and Prizes; Biomedical Research; Eponyms; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Optometrists; Optometry; Parent-Child Relations; Societies, Medical
PubMed: 30153706
DOI: 10.1111/cxo.12816 -
Clinical & Experimental Optometry May 2022Optometrists upskilling and participating in enhanced optometric schemes has the potential to improve service accessibility and alleviate pressure on hospital eye...
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Optometrists upskilling and participating in enhanced optometric schemes has the potential to improve service accessibility and alleviate pressure on hospital eye services.
BACKGROUND
There is a growing demand for eye care in the UK with rising hospital attendances thought to be due in part to an ageing population and a shift in behaviour to favour emergency secondary care.
METHODS
Records of first-time presentations to the eye casualty department at the County Hospital (Wye Valley NHS Trust), Hereford, UK, over a month were analysed retrospectively and sequentially. The proportion of patients from optometrist referrals with conditions potentially requiring pharmacological intervention, that could have been retained within community optometry by an independent prescriber, was assessed. For general practitioner and self-referrals, the reasons for visit were compared to the Minor Eye Conditions Service criteria for inclusion. Patient conditions reviewed at the hospital following their initial presentation were grouped according to those who could have been discharged to a commissioned optometric service.
RESULTS
The records of 421 patients were organised by the source of referral and condition diagnosed by the hospital practitioner. Thirty-three percent of optometrist referrals could have been managed by an independent prescribing optometrist. Ninety-two percent of patients presenting from general practitioner referrals and 83 percent of self-referrals could have been assessed via the local optometric scheme. Sixty-six percent of patients attending hospital for follow-up could have been seen within the community.
CONCLUSION
The present analysis highlights the value of commissioned local optometric community services to address acute ocular symptoms and the value of an independent prescribing qualification in helping to further alleviate the burden on hospital emergency eye services. The large number of self-referrals suggests that the general public needs to be further educated on services that are available at a community optometry level.
Topics: Humans; Optometrists; Optometry; Referral and Consultation; Retrospective Studies; United Kingdom
PubMed: 34315329
DOI: 10.1080/08164622.2021.1937949 -
Clinical & Experimental Optometry Jan 2022Optometry education in Nepal began in 1998 in collaboration with the University of Auckland, New Zealand, with the primary objective of addressing the unmet needs of eye...
Optometry education in Nepal began in 1998 in collaboration with the University of Auckland, New Zealand, with the primary objective of addressing the unmet needs of eye health and vision care. Over the last two decades, the development of optometry education has seen significant progress, including a shift from a three-year to a four-year curriculum, an increase in the uptake of students, and recent launches of two additional bachelor's degree and a master's degree programmes. Complementary to the educational progress, several professional advances have occurred in the intervening years. These include the formation of the Nepalese Association of Optometrists that oversees the professional development and the rights, welfare, security, and protection of Optometrists, memberships into the World Council of optometry and the Asia Pacific Council of optometry, integration of the profession into the governmental regulatory body Nepal Health Professional Council, and formulation of the code of ethics and minimum requirements for a Bachelor's level University degree in optometry. This article briefly presents the historical events leading to the establishment of optometry in Nepal and the evolution of the program in the intervening years.
Topics: Health Personnel; Humans; Nepal; Optometrists; Optometry; Universities
PubMed: 33926367
DOI: 10.1080/08164622.2021.1916388 -
Clinical & Experimental Optometry Sep 2017Contact lens-associated microbial keratitis poses a diagnostic dilemma for optometrists on two fronts. The distinction between sterile inflammation and microbial... (Review)
Review
Contact lens-associated microbial keratitis poses a diagnostic dilemma for optometrists on two fronts. The distinction between sterile inflammation and microbial infection is often blurred. In addition, there is a requirement with nearly 50 per cent of the Australian and New Zealand optometric profession being therapeutically endorsed, to distinguish between cases of infection that can be managed in the community verses those that require escalation to public hospitals that have access to laboratory diagnostic tools and advanced imaging techniques, such as in vivo confocal microscopy. Pattern recognition and incorporation of knowledge of aetiology and risk factors assists optometrists to decide on optimal management strategies. Skilled optometrists will utilise emerging diagnostic and therapeutic technologies to ensure safe management strategies and better outcomes for these cases.
Topics: Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic; Eye Infections, Bacterial; Humans; Keratitis; Microscopy, Confocal; New Zealand; Risk Factors
PubMed: 28815736
DOI: 10.1111/cxo.12581 -
Clinical & Experimental Optometry Mar 2019Choroidal detachments occur when there is an accumulation of fluid or blood in the suprachoroidal space, a potential space situated between the choroid and the sclera.... (Review)
Review
Choroidal detachments occur when there is an accumulation of fluid or blood in the suprachoroidal space, a potential space situated between the choroid and the sclera. They are an uncommon ocular pathology. The most common cause of choroidal detachment is secondary to trabeculectomy; however, there are other causes such as trauma and inflammation. Clinically, choroidal detachments may vary in presentation from asymptomatic, to very poor vision, severe ocular pain, vomiting and nausea. Ocular findings associated with choroidal detachments include serous retinal detachment, secondary angle closure, and a very shallow anterior chamber. Optometrists, as primary eye care providers, need to be aware of the clinical signs and symptoms associated with choroidal detachments and ensure that appropriate and timely management, with a referral to an ophthalmologist, is instigated for optimal visual outcomes. In this review, the pathophysiology, detection, and associated risk factors for choroidal detachments are discussed, and evidence-based management recommendations in an optometric context are provided. The characteristics and management of uveal effusion syndrome are also reviewed, as this can cause idiopathic exudative choroidal detachments distinct from classical choroidal detachment.
Topics: Antihypertensive Agents; Choroid; Choroidal Effusions; Diagnosis, Differential; Global Health; Humans; Incidence; Multimodal Imaging; Risk Factors; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Trabeculectomy; Ultrasonography
PubMed: 29971817
DOI: 10.1111/cxo.12807 -
Clinical & Experimental Optometry May 2021This review presents the phenotypic and genotypic profiles of a select group of inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) that are currently the focus of retinal gene therapy... (Review)
Review
This review presents the phenotypic and genotypic profiles of a select group of inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) that are currently the focus of retinal gene therapy trials globally. Research progress in IRD treatment trials may soon lead to their availability in Australia and New Zealand, as either approved treatment or a clinical trial. The salient clinical characteristics of retinitis pigmentosa-the largest IRD category-are highlighted, with specific reference to -associated Leber congenital amaurosis, followed by other specific IRDs, namely choroideremia and -associated Stargardt disease. These IRDs are selected based on their candidacy for gene therapy. Guidance on the clinical diagnostic tests that support each of these diagnoses will be presented. More broadly, the most useful structure and function measures to monitor IRD progression is discussed, along with the key assessments that offer differential diagnostic insight. This review is intended to be a clinical guide for optometrists, to assist in assessment and management of individuals who may be eligible for current and future gene therapies. A companion article in this issue will provide an overview of the basic principles of gene therapy and its development as a new treatment for inherited retinal diseases.
Topics: ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; Genetic Therapy; Humans; Leber Congenital Amaurosis; Optometrists; Retina; Retinal Diseases
PubMed: 33689629
DOI: 10.1080/08164622.2021.1878851