In optometry, exciting new products or treatments are constantly coming onto the market. As practitioners, we need to keep our knowledge up-to-date, so that we can offer solutions to our patients if they present with an ocular condition. But is the evidence strong enough to make a recommendation or to provide that treatment?  In this episode, Michelle Hanratty taps into the expertise of IP optometrists Paramdeep Bilkhu and Alan Hawrami. As a Clinical Advisor at the College of Optometrists, Paramdeep explains how he interrogates research evidence to produce Clinical Management Guidelines ..read more

Ocular allergy can be more complicated than the seasonal conjunctivitis that optometrists see frequently in practice. To treat allergic reactions effectively, it’s important to understand how the immune system works. In this episode, Michelle and Dr Peter Frampton, an optometrist at Aaron Optometrists in the North of England, discuss the four types of immune reactions, or “allergies”, that can be expected in practice. Michelle also speaks to Eleaonor, one of Peter’s patients, who had interstitial keratitis as a result of a long-term herpes zoster infection. Peter explains why, perhaps unexpect ..read more

Children with special educational needs (SEN) are 28 times more likely to have a problem with their vision—or how their brains interpret vision—than their peers. It’s essential that optometrists understand how to make appointments as successful as possible for SEN children and their families. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty asks Ellie Hughes, Assistant Headteacher and Sensory Impairment Lead at Chellow Heights Special School, what clinicians can do to help SEN children feel more comfortable in consulting rooms. Plus, Rachel Pilling, a Paediatric Ophthalmologist and Professor at the Universi ..read more

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of sight loss in the UK, and the dry form is the most common type of the condition. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty visits a community practice in Harborne, Birmingham, to meet optometrist Bradley Warwick. Brad specialises in dry AMD, so Michelle and Brad discuss how to manage and counsel patients with the condition that currently has no treatment options. Later, one of Brad’s patients, Martin, joins the conversation to discuss how he copes with the gradual progression of dry AMD and geographic atrophy.  Finally, Michelle ..read more

Laser treatments are a great way for optometrists to learn new skills and add some variety to day-to-day practice. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty brings us into her YAG laser capsulotomy clinic in Birmingham, where she treats posterior capsule opacification (PCO) following cataract surgery. Michelle walks us through an appointment with a patient, demonstrating how quick and effective the treatment can be, as well as explaining the potential risks involved. Michelle’s colleague, Steven Burge, an optometrist at Optegra in Birmingham and Uttoxeter, who recently completed his YAG laser trainin ..read more

Over 400,000 cataract procedures are done every year in England alone and the surgery is also one of the most successful in modern medicine. But complications can still occur, for a number of reasons. With optometrists becoming ever more involved with cataract surgery patient pathways — from direct referral to postoperative care — in this episode, Michelle Hanratty explores the risk and complications that optometrists should be aware of. Michelle’s expert guest is David Lockington, a Consultant Ophthalmologist and cornea and cataract surgeon in Glasgow, Scotland. David and Michelle discuss th ..read more

Myopia can be much more than just shortsightedness. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty speaks to her friend Kathryn, who has severe myopia, to find out how the condition can cause further ocular health problems, like macular degeneration.  Two years ago on the podcast, we explored how optometrists should play an active role in myopia management using contact lenses. Listen to that episode here. Since then, more research has been published on the effectiveness of myopia management lenses and there have been further innovations of the technologies that can slow the progression of myopia ..read more

Regular eye screening for the more than 4 million people in the UK with diabetes is essential. The chronic condition is difficult to manage, but high blood sugar over time can damage the blood vessels in the retina. These changes to the eye can be detected by retinal photography, yet diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness, because it typically isn’t caught — and managed — early enough.  This episode explores how England’s diabetic eye screening services currently work, with Kamran Rajaby, a Senior Retinal Screener Grader at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. Michelle Hanratty a ..read more

Detecting and diagnosing suspect glaucoma isn’t an exact science, but the stakes are high—undetected or late-diagnosed optic nerve damage can lead to irreversible vision loss. Subtle changes in the optic nerve head can be confusing, though, so as an optometrist, being confident in your clinical decisions is essential. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty seeks advice on optic disc assessments with Patrick Gunn, an optometrist at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. Michelle also asks one of Patrick’s patients, Rajiv Mittal, why optometrist-led care can be beneficial to both patients and secondary ..read more

One of the side-effects for patients who take hydroxychloroquine, or chloroquine, can be retinal toxicity. The drug is usually taken to help treat rheumatic disorders, but around 7.5% of people who take hydroxychloroquine for over five years are thought to develop retinopathy. That’s why regular monitoring of the eyes is essential. Typically, monitoring takes place in secondary care, however primary care optometry can now play a more useful role – and optometrists can help to highlight the first stages of decline earlier. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty asks Sharon Beatty, an optometrist ..read more