Vitreomacular conditions can be sight-threatening if they are not picked up by practitioners. In this episode, optometrist Michelle Hanratty speaks to Mr Kam Balaggan, consultant ophthalmologist and consultant vitreoretinal surgeon. They discuss how to recognise vitreomacular disorders and how to decide when referral is required. Also, to gain an insight from a patient’s perspective, they explore the story of Andy Parkes, who was diagnosed with epiretinal membrane and underwent several surgical procedures.

Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

Glaucoma is a difficult condition to diagnose. Optometrist Michelle Hanratty discusses referral dilemmas and the impact of the NHS backlog with optometrist, Paddy Gunn, and consultant ophthalmologist, Mr Imran Masood. 

Paddy Gunn, Principal Optometrist Education and Training at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, has a specialist qualification in glaucoma. Mr Imran Masood is director of the glaucoma service at Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre.

Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened awareness of infection control measures in all professions. As optometrists, there are particularly important precautions to take. In this episode, optometrist Michelle Hanratty discusses the mechanisms of transmission for respiratory infections, gastrointestinal pathogens and eye illnesses with microbiologist Dr Conor Meehan. They also discuss the recommended measures to stay safe in practice. And Michelle explores a life-changing case of viral conjunctivitis with consultant ophthalmologist Arijit Mitra. Mr Mitra reflects on how to minimise the risk when seeing infectious patients.

Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

Discovering a new ocular lesion whilst carrying out an eye examination can lead to a management dilemma for optometrists. Michelle Hanratty talks to Professor Heinrich Heimann, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and Clinical Lead of the Ocular Oncology Unit at Royal Liverpool Hospital. They discuss what to look out for, when to monitor and when to refer patients that optometrists suspect might have a tumour. We also hear from a patient, Deborah, who first noticed that her eye looked bloodshot and was eventually diagnosed with a conjunctival melanoma.

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

Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

Myopia is thought to affect half of the population by 2050, which is why management from optometrists is required, to potentially reduce the extent of myopic progression in patients. Michelle Hanratty talks to Professor Ed Mallen about the threat of this “epidemic”, before we hear from a patient, Elodie, and her mother, Elizabeth, about the impact that MiSight lenses have had on their lives. Michelle then asks optometrist Kathryn Webber, manager of the Myopia Management Clinic at Bradford University, how to play an active role in myopia control.

Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

Early keratoconic corneal changes can start even before the age of 10 and those that are at risk are mostly not detected until the condition is moderately advanced. The only way to pick these patients up early is to routinely screen for keratoconus in the young population at their routine eye examinations and it could be as easy as using an autorefractor-topographer. Hear more about the detection and management of keratoconus as Michelle Hanratty talks to Optometrist, Yahya Vali and Consultant Ophthalmologist, Damian Lake.

Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

In this episode, we hear about a clinical scenario where a case of idiopathic intracranial hypertension led to severe visual symptoms and bilateral optic disc swelling. Michelle Hanratty then recaps the key features of papilloedema, its presentation and causes with neuro-ophthalmologist Dr Denize Atan before looking at the differential diagnoses. The second part of the episode concentrates on the unilateral causes of optic disc swelling. Dr Atan discusses the features of optic neuropathies and how the symptoms and clinical findings are different to papilloedema. The episode concludes with advice to optometrists on the referral of these patients.

Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

In a special edition, optometrist Michelle Hanratty talks to Consultant Ophthalmologist, Arijit Mitra, about his personal experience of developing a unilateral cataract at a relatively young age and what it was like to be operated on by a friend.

They are joined by Ajai Tyagi, who gives an insight into the preoperative surgical assessment and his thought process when operating on both colleagues and patients. The episode includes advice from both surgeons on the referral and postoperative care of cataract patients.

Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

What if you witness something that you feel puts patients at risk – an unsafe practice or procedure you’re not happy with? This month optometrist Michelle Hanratty discusses the concepts of Speaking Up and Whistleblowing with David Hewlett, Group Director at FODO. We also hear from someone unhappy with the current procedures and speak to Julie Breen, the first primary care Freedom to Speak up Guardian for optometry.

Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.

Conditions of the retina can be genetic or acquired but, even with advanced imaging, it can be challenging for optometrists to decide when people need to be referred.

This month optometrist Michelle Hanratty discusses diagnosis and treatment of wet AMD, dry AMD and retinitis pigmentosa with consultant ophthalmologist and specialist in medical retina, Rupal Mojaria. We also hear from Bryan, a patient with wet AMD, about his experiences when he was diagnosed eight years ago.

 

Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.