From the start of the first lockdown in March 2020, teaching in higher education saw a significant move to online learning. How has this impacted the postgraduate independent prescribing programme?
We have updated our Amber phase COVID-19 guidance to help practices across the UK deliver eye care safely and effectively at this stage of the pandemic.
As the pandemic continues to affect people’s lives across the UK, interest in a viable vaccine is growing. The College's Director of Research, Michael Bowen looks at what guidance optometrists can offer patients on potential COVID-19 vaccines.
As society continues to open up, the Optometry in Practice editorial board thought it opportune to reflect on the experiences of the pandemic to date and assess the impact on both eyecare professionals and our patients.
Following the national lockdowns announced across the UK, some members have expressed concerns that their employers are not following Amber Phase guidance.
This article summarises the key findings of a survey taken by members of the College of Optometrists investigating changes in clinical optometric practice in the UK as a result of the pandemic including the challenges and benefits identified.
Lockdowns led to cancelled operations and check-ups. Becky McCall looks at the legacy of the pandemic for eye disease and sight loss, and the lessons that have been learned.
This article reviews the research into digital technology innovation and home monitoring in the management of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma.
Join Nicola and Oliver Gatehouse, owners of Ball & Gatehouse Opticians, as they update you on the challenges they have faced in their practice since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With COVID-19 affecting so many areas of our lives, Helen Gilbert looks at the impact the pandemic is having on optometric and ophthalmological research.
Department of Health and Social Care has not taken on board the advice of The College of Optometrists in their decision to press ahead with mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations.
We have reviewed and updated our Guidance for Professional Practice to ensure it aligns with each Nation’s public health advice, including the recommended respiratory infection prevention and controls to minimise risk of transmission.
Optometrists are taking part in one of the biggest medical breakthroughs in decades, learning new skills, boosting their confidence and expanding the profession’s scope of practice. Radhika Holmström reports.
The College has written to the GOC in support of an extension to the temporary changes made to the Optometry Handbook and Supervision policy by the GOC in August 2020.
The College responded to a DSHC consultation to support the extension of provision of free PPE to the health and care sector, including optometrists, after 31 March.
Does vitamin D play a role in reducing the risk of COVID-19 infection, and what does this mean to the UK’s BAME communities? Mike Bowen, Director of Research at the College of Optometrists, considers the evidence.
MILLIONS of Brits could be suffering from eye problems dubbed ‘coronavision’ after feeling that their sight deteriorated during lockdown, according to a study for the College of Optometrists.
Find out what our Clinical Adviser has to say about a study published by the University of Hong Kong linking COVID-19 restrictions, screen time and myopia in children.
The College, ABDO, the AOP and FODO have issued guidelines on appropriate infection prevention and control measures following recent government announcements.
This outlines a COVID-19 Urgent Eyecare Service delivered from a network of optical practices, acting as urgent eye care hubs, to support the immediate and recovery phase of the coronavirus pandemic.
We are pleased to announce that each nation's health system has confirmed that they support a move to the ‘Green’ phase on Tuesday 10 May 2022. From then, the College’s COVID-19 Amber phase guidance will no longer apply in all UK nations.
The Secretary of State for Health has announced stricter lockdown measures in Leicester for a two week period due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the city.
Join David Cummins MCOptom, Optometrist and Partner at PLM Optometrists in Scotland, as he takes you through a series of real-life cases, managed at his practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The College and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists has sent the following letter to Jo Churchill MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister and First Minister for Scotland announced new national restrictions to help tackle the rising number of coronavirus infections and ease pressure on NHS and related health
Join Gemma Hill MCOptom, Optometrist and Owner of Forde Opticians, as she takes you through her life as a ‘one-man band’ in her independent practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Join Gemma Hill MCOptom, Optometrist and Owner of Forde Opticians, as she updates us on her life in practice and search for PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Department of Health and Social Care is consulting on proposals for mandatory COVID-19 and flu vaccinations for all frontline health and social care workers in England.
Locum optometrist, Hassnain Safdar MCOptom, updates us on his experience as part of the Test and Trace team, and reflects on the current local lockdown in Leicester.
Healthcare organisations from across England have written a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling for face masks to be mandatory in healthcare settings.
Join Jagdeep Singh MCOptom, Optometrist at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, as he takes you through his new routine, both inside and outside the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How lockdown restriction easing will affect optical practices and guidance on the appropriate application of the self-isolation exemption in Scotland following recent government announcements.
The Association of British Dispensing Opticians and The College of Optometrists urge all employers to support their clinicians and their teams to maintain the high standards of infection control.
The College of Optometrists and The Royal College of Ophthalmologists have released a joint statement of our vision for safe and sustainable patient eye care services.
Matt Roney MCOptom, Specialist Optometrist at The Royal Liverpool University Hospital, takes us through his new life in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following the announcement by the Secretary for Health that the isolation period for people who test positive for COVID-19 will be cut to five full days in England, NHSE has confirmed this will apply in primary care settings.
Following on from the joint vision statement for England published in August 2020, both Colleges have reviewed and built on the learnings over the past year resulting in a joint statement for the UK.
Join Paddy Gunn MCOptom, Principle Optometrist at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, as he reflects on the challenges faced at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participate in the government-funded UK-REACH study to help understand why people from certain ethnic minorities are more likely to have severe COVID-19.
Join Seraphina Yap, pre-reg trainee at PLM Optometrists in Scotland, as she navigates her new life on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic with her supervisor David Cummins MCOptom DipTP (IP).
Join Seraphina Yap, pre-reg trainee at PLM Optometrists in Scotland, as she reflects on her life as a pre-reg during the start of the pandemic with her supervisor David Cummins MCOptom DipTP (IP).
We've issued advice, jointly with ABDO, following the Prime Minister's announcement that England would be removing all remaining COVID-19 legal restrictions from 24 February 2022.
We've responded to a consultation by the Department of Health and Social Care on making vaccination a condition of deployment in the health and wider social care sector.
Sector bodies advise that optical practices should continue to follow Amber guidance, and self-isolation exemptions in England are unlikely to apply in primary eye care settings.
We believe that vaccine uptake will be maximised when staff are supported to make their own decisions, having been provided with clear, evidence-based information on the benefit and value of vaccinations.
Optical bodies have grouped together to recognise the efforts of the optical profession to provide the best possible care for patients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
In conjunction with each UK Nation’s health system and government public health bodies, optometry practices are expected to move to “Green” phase in early May 2022.
This guidance has been developed by The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and The College of Optometrists in response to the pandemic and may be subject to change.
This guidance has been developed by The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) and the College of Optometrists (CoO) in response to the pandemic and may be subject to change.
Many of you have been in touch to ask about the Covid-19 vaccination programme. All UK representative bodies are working together and will keep the sector up to date with developments.
If you are a locum or non-NHS provider practice staff, LOCSU has created a vaccine portal to ensure you are registered locally to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
This week, the GOC agreed to the College’s proposal for a more flexible approach to meeting logbook requirements for optometrists training to be independent prescribers.
The General Optical Council (GOC) sought views on how they can continue to support registrants and the optical sector throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Join optometrist, Yasmine Sahraie MCOptom, as she gives us an insight into the Emergency Eye Care Treatment team in Grampian, Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic.