2 research outputs found
Agreement in dry eye management between optometrists and general practitioners in primary health care in the Netherlands
The final publication is available at Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2015.03.005 © 2015. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Purpose: To investigate the agreement in dry eye care management between general practitioners (GPs) and optometrists in the Netherlands.
Methods: A web-based survey was used to investigate the agreement in symptoms associated with dry eye, causes of developing dry eye, and investigative techniques used in practice, between GPs and optometrists. Additional questions surveyed knowledge of the latest research, and co-management of dry eye disease in primary healthcare. The anonymised questionnaire contained 16 forced-choice questions with Likert scales, and was sent to 1471 general medical practitioners and 870 registered optometrists. The response data was stored on an online database, and was converted directly to text format for analysis using SPSS 21 statistical analysis software.
Results: 138 optometrists and 93 GPs responded to the survey (Cronbach α = 0.885, optometrists, and 0.833, GPs). Almost no agreement was found for all the questions: a statistically significant difference (Chi-square p 0.0001), and dry eye symptoms, except for ‘burning sensation of the eye’ and ‘irritation of the eye’ as agreed symptoms, and agreement that dry eye is an age-related disease. Conclusions: As the optometrist and the GP are the gatekeepers for secondary healthcare, the fundamental differences in the methods of investigation and interpretation of dry eye-related symptoms, the possible cause of developing dry eye disease, and the therapy given by GPs and optometrists in the Netherlands, may have a significant impact on consistency of patient care.The authors extend their appreciation to the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht for funding this researc
Age Related Visual Pathologies among Nursing Home Residents: An Evaluation of Light Conditions and Recording in Client Files
Objective: Reflection on visual problems in nursing homes. Data Sources: Eye examinations, documented visual problems and illuminance levels. Study design: The optometric examinations and recorded visual problems were combined with illuminance data. Data collection: In seven nursing homes, 259 residents underwent an optometric examination. Their client records were analyzed for information regarding visual functioning. The illuminance data were ranked to set the quality of the lighting conditions. Principal findings: 50% of the referred residents had problems with cataracts, retinal problems (21%), suspected glaucoma (13%), and other pathologies (16%). The information was not current in 56% of the records. The quality of lighting conditions was low or moderate. Conclusion: The finding of poor lighting conditions in nursing homes in combination with a high prevalence of visual problems (with cataract found to be the most common age related pathology), stretches the need of enhanced awareness of eye care by professional caregivers