With Christmas a distant memory, festive overindulgence may have left many of us considering New Year’s resolutions with varying degrees of enthusiasm. The question, as always, is whether the year ahead will bring the positive changes we intend – helping us all become a little leaner, more efficient and, ultimately, more effective.
Interestingly, “leaner, more efficient and more effective” also describes the direction of travel in eye care for the coming year. One example is the growing number of patients arriving in our clinics noticeably lighter, thanks to the spectacular rise of GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) injections. These medications have enabled many patients to achieve dramatic weight loss. Yet with more people sourcing them privately – sometimes without appropriate medical oversight – their growing popularity is concerning. Our review takes a closer look at what clinicians should know about the systemic and ocular side effects.
The current evidence hints at intriguing potential benefits too. Several studies suggest that GLP-1 RA use may reduce the long-term risk of developing primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) or ocular hypertension (OHT). Explanations include anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, or broader physiological advantages associated with weight loss. Plausible, more robust research is needed to confirm these findings.
Whether using weight loss injections or not, for patients diagnosed with OHT or POAG, selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) has firmly stepped into the limelight. Once regarded as a later-stage intervention, the LiGHT trial has seen SLT move confidently into first-line treatment territory. A growing number of specially trained optometrists are now performing this procedure, and patient feedback suggests SLT is generally well tolerated and the avoidance of burdensome daily drops, for most, is much appreciated. As reported in our article, SLT continues to reshape our approach to managing glaucoma.
While SLT refreshes glaucoma treatment, artificial intelligence (AI) is quietly reinventing much in eye care. As explored in our article, AI is transforming referral refinement, triage, image interpretation and disease monitoring. Rather than replacing clinicians, AI is becoming our very smart, never-tired assistant.
This technological shift is also accelerating expansion of OCT angiography (OCT-A). Once the preserve of hospital clinics, OCT-A is settling comfortably into community practice. As our article highlights, it offers a powerful window into dynamic microvasculature, aiding the detection and management of conditions such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. With AI-enhanced analysis increasing, subtle vascular changes are becoming easier to interpret rapidly.
“Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things,” said management guru Peter Drucker. We should aim for both.
Here’s to a leaner, smarter and more effective year for everyone.
