Behind the headlines

30 July 2021
Summer 2021

Eye health issues that are making the news.

Virtual A&E triage is ‘as safe as’ in-person service

Accident and emergency eye care patients can be triaged just as safely in video consultations as face to face, a new study claims.

Researchers at Moorfields Eye Hospital compared the cases of 404 emergency patients who had video consultations with 451 who attended in person over two weeks in 2020. 

The two senior ophthalmologists found none of the patients suffered harm as a result of the way they were triaged. 

The authors of the study, published in EClinicalMedicine (Li et al, 2021), wrote that they had demonstrated “comparable patient safety” for the two approaches. 

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Related further reading

The GOC is consulting on an update to its 2013 Statement on the testing of sight, alongside proposed changes to the Standards of Practice for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians and the Standards for Optical Students.

ABDO, Boots Opticians, the College and Specsavers have all come together to deliver a public awareness campaign on the importance of children receiving a full sight test before they start school, around three to four years old.

The College of Optometrists has welcomed the new appointments across the Department of Health and Social Care.