This study suggested that both IVR and Nurse Support interventions may be cost-saving from a health system perspective, with IVR providing the greatest benefit and this pilot study provides a strong basis for developing larger trials with longer follow-up.

Visual field assessment is a key part of optometry and ophthalmology practice. However, in people with non-central or unstable fixation, it is not possible to relate defects on a visual field map to a specific retinal location. Microperimetry (or fundus related perimetry) is a technique that images the retina during visual field testing, enabling a correlation to be made between visual function and retinal structure. In this article, the history of fundus related perimetry is reviewed. Three modern microperimeters (MP-1, OCT/SLO and MAIA) are described and their relative merits identified. Finally, the uses of microperimetry in optometric practice are discussed.

This article discusses the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the learning and professional development of healthcare professionals. It provides a brief history of AI, current and past applications in healthcare education and training, and discusses why and how health leaders can revolutionize education system practices using AI in healthcare education. It also discusses potential implications of AI on human educators like clinical educators and provides recommendations for health leaders to support the application of AI in the learning and professional development of healthcare professionals.

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Introduction Some persons with Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) suffer significant anxiety because of their visual hallucinations, while others do not. The aim of the study presented here was to compare levels of anxiety in persons with low vision with and without CBS. Methods This retrospective study compared the level of anxiety in 31 persons with CBS and 26 persons without CBS. These participants were recruited voluntarily from senior centers, a low vision support group, and an ophthalmology practice in October and November 2010. All were administered surveys to measure cognitive function (TICS: Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status), anxiety (STAI: State and Trait Anxiety Inventory), and general health (GHQ: General Health Questionnaire). The responses of the two groups were compared. Results The participants with CBS exhibited higher levels of anxiety than did those without CBS on both the STAI and GHQ surveys, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. The proportion of participants who were pharmacologically treated for anxiety was four times higher in the CBS cohort than in the cohort without CBS: CBS: 36% (11 of 31), those without CBS: 9% (2 of 22), p value = .03. The participants with CBS who took medication for anxiety scored higher on the STAI and GHQ than did those without CBS, but these differences did not reach statistical significance. Discussion The findings indicate that persons with CBS have higher levels of anxiety than do those without CBS. The highest levels of anxiety occurred in the participants with CBS who were being treated for anxiety with medications. Although the findings did not reach statistical significance, they suggest that anxiety is an important consideration when treating individuals with CBS. Implications for practitioners Persons with CBS who have difficulty tolerating visual hallucinations may benefit from interventions that are directed at managing anxiety, such as counseling, visual rehabilitation, and pharmacological treatment.