COVID-19 and its effect on the provision of ophthalmic care in the United Kingdom.

The first quarter of 2020 gave light to a novel virus, Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), causing a pandemic of unbridled proportions. The National Health Service in the United Kingdom issued guidance to ensure that capacity was increased in acute medical settings, to prepare for the surge of COVID-19 cases. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists followed suit with guidance on the curtailment of all elective activity, aimed at protecting both patients and staff. Ophthalmology is one of the busiest outpatient specialities, and risk stratification of patients with appointments cancelled or on review lists was paramount to ensure there was no serious, permanent harm to sight. Our way of working, as we knew it, had to change in a short period of time. Local emergency eye care was changed from a walk in service, with the implementation of a strict triage protocol. Ophthalmologists, as well as Otorhinolaryngology colleagues, were identified as being at high risk of infection, due to the close proximity of clinical examination. The redesign of clinical areas to allow for social distancing, slit lamp barriers and personal protective equipment was all implemented. This time of relative pause has provided the opportunity to harness new ways of working, including the streamlining of services, reduction of backlog and the incorporation of telemedicine. Health preparedness is a new lexicon to Ophthalmology departments across the world, and it will now have to be stringently implemented in the ophthalmic setting.

Endotheliitis-A Presentation of Acanthamoeba Keratitis.

PURPOSE: To report endotheliitis as an early, key presenting sign of Acanthamoeba keratitis in patients who are soft contact lens wearers. METHODS: We report 4 cases of patients presenting with pain, red eye, and reduction in vision in the context of soft contact lens wear. On examination, the predominant clinical finding was that of endotheliitis, localized fusiform stromal edema with corresponding keratic precipitates, anterior chamber inflammation, and minimal epithelial and anterior stromal signs. The classical signs of Acanthamoeba keratitis were not present. RESULTS: All 4 cases were clinically diagnosed as Acanthamoeba endotheliitis; corneal scrapes were negative; case 1 was polymerase chain reaction positive, and case 3 underwent confocal microscopy that showed double-walled cysts, suggesting Acanthamoeba. All responded well to anti-Acanthamoeba medication alone with 3 cases achieving complete resolution with minimal anterior stromal scarring by 7 weeks. Case 1 had steroid treatment before being seen at our unit and had a prolonged course of treatment with complete resolution by 4 months. CONCLUSIONS: It is imperative to have a high index of suspicion for Acanthamoeba in patients presenting with pain and endotheliitis in the context of contact lens wear, even in the absence of classical signs.

Defining stable glaucoma: a Delphi consensus survey of UK optometrists with a specialist interest in Glaucoma.

BACKGROUND: Increasing demand on hospital services has led to the development of alternative community-based services, often run by optometrists for monitoring 'stable' and low-risk glaucoma patients. METHODS: An online Delphi exercise was undertaken to derive a consensus definition of 'stable glaucoma' amongst optometrists with a special interest in glaucoma. Participants were asked to score their agreement for various clinical parameters. Results from each round were used to inform subsequent rounds. RESULTS: 31 optometrists participated in the study. 100%, 77%, and 68% completion rates were achieved over three rounds respectively. Consensus was reached for 7 parameters: Stability should be defined over a period of 36-48 months, summary measure Visual Field (VF), and/or Trend Analysis should be used to assess VF stability. Two or more decibel (dB) of change of VF mean deviation (MD) is considered unstable. Intraocular pressure (IOP) should be below a target defined by the patient's clinician or a fixed-percentage reduction compared to the presenting IOP. No treatment change during the stability assessment period is considered stable. Imaging with Ocular Coherence Topography Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer (OCT RNFL) assessment should be used to define glaucoma stability. Overview by a glaucoma consultant was considered important for glaucoma monitoring schemes. CONCLUSION: This Delphi exercise has generated a consensus definition for glaucoma stability by UK Optometrists with a specialist interest in glaucoma. This consensus definition can be used to inform the selection of suitable patients from hospital services for transfer to monitoring in community-based 'stable' optometry run glaucoma clinics.

Exploring the frequency and location of prescribing errors in the use of topical glaucoma medications.

IMPORTANCE: Very little is known about health-care professional related prescribing errors within the glaucoma setting. BACKGROUND: This study aims to quantify these errors and to explore where they occur along the prescribing pathway. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of patients attending a specialty glaucoma clinic over a 5-month period. PARTICIPANTS: Data was collected for 109 patients. METHODS: We compared glaucoma drop regimes from four different sources: As documented in the hospital notes for the last appointment, the letter sent to the General Practitioner (GP), patient's self-reporting and bottles/prescriptions brought to the clinic appointment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Discrepancies were identified and errors were grouped into one of four categories depending on where in the prescribing pathway they occurred: Incorrect prescribing of the drops by the clinician, incorrect prescribing of the drops by the GP/failure to provide a repeat prescription, incorrect dispensing of the drops by the pharmacist and possible non-adherence by the patient. RESULTS: There was a total of 217 individual prescription items involving 266 active ingredients. Seventy-one prescription items out of 217 (33%) had an error, of this 53 (75%) were due to possible patient non-adherence and 18 (25%) were process related errors made by health-care professionals. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: An error was identified in 33% of prescriptions. About 8.3% of prescriptions had a health-care professional related process error. These errors are preventable and recognition of these is important to maximize drop adherence and minimize disease progression, requiring increased consultations and interventions with quality of life and health economic consequences.

Optic nerve sheath fenestration for idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a seven year review of visual outcomes in a tertiary centre.

PURPOSE: To determine visual outcomes of patients with Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), who underwent optic nerve sheath fenestration (ONSF), utilising the two most commonly used tools for monitoring visual function (visual acuity and visual fields) and a third less commonly used tool, colour vision. METHODS: A retrospective study of ONSF patients from 2004 to 2011. Patients' symptoms, body mass index, CSF opening pressure, and visual outcomes were analysed. RESULTS: ONSF's were carried out on 31 eyes of 14 patients. 64% were female and 36% were male. The most predominant symptom was a headache (93%). 71% of patients had a BMI>30. The average CSF opening pressure was 36mmHg (range 22-64). Post ONSF, visual acuity (VA) improved in 24.1%, remained stable in 62.1% and worsened in 13.8% of operated eyes. 6% were lost to follow up. Visual fields (VF) were reliable in 48% of operated eyes. Of these 33.4% improved, 53.3% remained the same and 13.3% worsened. Colour vision (CV) improved or remained stable in 87%, and worsened in 13% of operated eyes. 4 patients had tertiary procedures (LP or VP shunts). ONSF resulted in statistically significant improvement/stabilisation in visual acuity, visual fields and colour vision. Most importantly, this was not dependent on the body mass index. CONCLUSION: ONSF is a safe procedure in experienced hands. It predominantly stabilises visual function in majority of maximally medicated patients but also offers improved visual function to some patients. Colour vision monitoring is a useful adjunct in patient with unreliable visual fields. Unfortunately patients whose visual function deteriorated despite maximal medical and surgical treatment were often those who presented late or had a delay in their clinical diagnosis.