Visual field tests can be invaluable when trying to explain a patient’s symptoms, like headaches, or detecting early disease, from glaucoma to stroke, or rarer neurological conditions, such as pituitary tumours. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty asks Stephen Freeman, an optometrist and lecturer at the University of Plymouth, when to be suspicious and what steps to take to investigate non-glaucomatous visual field defects in practice. Afterwards, Michelle is joined by Dr Lindsay Rountree, Assistant Professor at the University of Bradford, to explore the interpretation of field plots in detail. She also answers the questions put to her by the attendees of the webinar on the same topic.

This episode covers the GOC domain of Clinical Practice. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

Mental health conditions can affect anyone and can have a negative impact on optometrists’ work. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty discusses these implications with Sheena Tanna-Shah, an optometrist who retrained in therapy after her own experience with anxiety. Also, avoiding stress and burnout at work can help to reduce the risk of mental health conditions – and makes working as an optometrist much more enjoyable. Dr Rachel Morris, a former GP-turned-executive-coach shares her tips and tricks to stay on top of your wellbeing at work. 

This episode covers the GOC competencies - Professionalism and Communication. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

Coming across eyelid lesions is an everyday occurrence for optometrists, but distinguishing them from each other can be a challenge. In this episode, we hear from Nina, who had a basal cell carcinoma (BCC) on her lower eyelid. Michelle Hanratty then explores the various types of malignant and benign lesions that could present in practice, with Mr Raman Malhotra, a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead. They discuss how to decide which lesion a patient might have, and if, and how urgently, they need to be referred. Raman also answers some of the questions put to him by the attendees of the webinar on the same topic.

This episode covers the GOC competencies - Communication, Clinical Practice and Independent Prescribing. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

Paediatric eye conditions can often leave optometrists concerned and confused about how to manage patients. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty explores both inflammatory and infectious causes of corneal disease in children. Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Mr Michael O’Gallagher of the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast explains how vernal keratoconjunctivitis differs from blepharokeratoconjunctivitis, and how to best detect and treat children with the conditions. We also hear from a six year old patient, Joshua, and his mother, Diane, about Joshua’s experience of vernal keratoconjunctivitis and its flare-ups.

This episode covers the GOC competencies - Communication, Clinical Practice and Independent Prescribing. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

Uveitis is thought to cause around 15% of severe sight loss in the UK. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty explores both punctate inner choroidopathy or PIC, a form of posterior uveitis, and the more common presentation of anterior uveitis, with Consultant Ophthalmologist Professor Alastair Denniston and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon Dr Balini Balasubramaniam, from University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. We also hear about patient Alison’s lived-experience with PIC and what may have improved the accuracy and speed of her diagnosis. (A fundus image and OCT scan showing Alison's PIC is available on the course page.)

This episode covers the GOC domains: Communication and Clinical Practice. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

Many optometrists will have experienced a patient calling and saying that they suddenly can't see. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty travels to the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital to explore the loss of vision, focussing on artery and vein occlusions, with optometrists Helen Wilson and Amanda Harding. The discussion addresses how optometrists can ensure that people can access care in the most efficient way. Michelle also asks a patient, called Helen, about her experience with a branch retinal artery occlusion.
This episode covers the GOC domains:  Professionalism and Clinical Practice. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

Fitting contact lenses might be a straightforward task, but modern contact lens practice  is constantly evolving. Last year, the British Contact Lens Association released a series of reports, called CLEAR, to help harness the most recent contact lens research and modernise contact lens practice, in an evidence-based manner. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty discusses the CLEAR reports’ findings with Professor James Wolffsohn, the Executive Chair of the CLEAR reports and Head of Optometry at Aston University. Michelle also discusses the resources that can put theory into practice with Neil Retallic, President of the British Contact Lens Association, and she puts optometrists’ questions to him, following his Docet webinar. 

This podcast will provide some highlights of the research, but is primarily aimed at encouraging further reading. You can find the full CLEAR reports in the Contact Lens and Anterior Eye journal, the Summary report on the BCLA’s website or summaries of each individual report, published by Contact Lens Update.

This episode covers the GOC domains:  Communication and Clinical Practice. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

The four nations of the UK each have their own Enhanced Optometric Services. This is the second of two episodes which explore how these pathways benefit patients, practitioners and the NHS. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty explores the services available in Scotland with Kathryn Trimmer, an IP optometrist based in Grampian, and in Northern Ireland with Mairead O’Kane, an IP optometrist based in Omagh. We also talk to a patient called Doug, who used the enhanced service in Scotland when he was diagnosed with uveitis, and continues to visit the optometrist when the condition flares up.

This episode covers the GOC domains: Professionalism, Clinical Practice and Independent Prescribing. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

The four nations of the UK each have their own Enhanced Optometric Services. This is the first of two episodes which explore how these pathways benefit patients, practitioners and the NHS. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty discusses the Enhanced Optometric Services in Wales with Clare Pearce, an optometrist based in Cardiff and in England with Kevin Liu, an IP optometrist based in Greater Manchester. We also hear about the experience of Ffion, who used the Wales Eye Care Service (WECS) due to a foreign body incident while playing at school. Ffion’s mother, Ruth, discusses their experience after using the service.

This episode covers the GOC domains: Professionalism, Clinical Practice and Independent Prescribing. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

Binocular Vision disorders present themselves frequently to optometrists but the most appropriate solution is not always obvious. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty discusses the path to single vision with Dr Aleks Mankowska, an optometrist and lecturer in the Bradford School of Optometry and Vision Science. We also hear about the experience of Eleanor, who was treated for excessive convergence.

This podcast relates to and builds on a recent webinar from Docet, which can be accessed here.

This episode covers the GOC domains: Clinical Practice and Professionalism. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.