A national survey of the use of pachymeters by optometrists in Scotland: experience, views and barriers to use

Abstract

Although the majority of optometrists were interested in performing pachymetry, many lacked confidence in performing and interpreting the results. Forty-one percent of those who reported training in pachymetry still used non-validated scales to convert IOP measurements illustrating the need for further training.

The effect of the timing of the cessation of contact lens use on the results of biometry

“…This may well reflect the lack of objective evidence currently available. The audit of current practice within Scotland gave a similar wide variation in clinical practice from a response rate of 35%, which is similar to previously published electronic-questionnaire-based studies in ophthalmic research [5][6][7].…”

Facilitators and barriers to the delivery of eye care by optometrists: a systematic review using the theoretical domains framework

“…Ten out of 30 studies were rated as extremely high-quality, meeting all the quality criteria for their study design. 26,35,40,41,43,46,50,52,53,55 Authors sometimes provided insufficient information to make a quality assessment resulting in many 'Can't Tell' judgements (32 of 260 responses). Sample representativeness was the main source of bias in quantitative surveys, often being poorly reported or non-representative.…”

“…Disinterest or lack of motivation 33,46,49,54,55 and lack of affordability 30,33,54 were common patient barriers to optometrists delivering eye care. Patient factors were an issue for glaucoma, 30,32,35,47 with studies listing a diverse range of patients issues such as patients failing to attend follow-up appointments, 30,47 poor affordability 30 and patient objections to certain tests such as pachymetry. 35 As summarised by Barrett et al, 30 'Optometrists agreed that patients were unwilling to pay an extra fee for diagnostic investigations that could not reasonably be provided for a standard eye examination fee.'…”

“…18,25,31,32,[34][35][36]38,40,42,43,47,50,51,[54][55][56] Eye care areas where optometrists' beliefs were an issue were low vision, 38,42,54,56 AMD 34,40,50,55 and glaucoma. 32,35,47 For low vision, optometrists' beliefs about the benefit of low vision care 42,54,56 and of patients' acceptance of care were issues. 38,56 For AMD, optometrists' beliefs about patients was a barrier to delivering nutritional recommendations, with one optometrist commenting, 'I think telling people, eat more fruit and vegetables, low GI food and some nuts, it just sounds like every bit of dietary advice, and it doesn't sound special, and they've got a special eye threatening disease, and that just sounds so generic, like how can that possibly work.…”

Comparison of central corneal thickness measurements obtained by community optometrists to those obtained in secondary care

“…To enable implementation of the guideline, in March 2016, NHS Education for Scotland provided every community optometric practice in Scotland with a pachymeter and offered training in use of the device [6]. As far as we are aware, Scotland is the first country to have adopted this strategy, but no previous studies have investigated agreement between measurements of CCT taken by optometrists in primary care and measurements obtained in glaucoma clinics.…”