Blogs

Do you know how many of your patients have Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS)?

Our new Clinical Adviser, Dr Paramdeep Bilkhu MCOptom DipTp(IP), discusses opportunities for the profession, his vision for his new role, and more.

Our Museum Curator, Neil Handley, reflects on a summer of celebrity spectacle auctions and discusses whether it may prove to be the ordinary things that retain the most resonance.

Optometrist and researcher Reena Chopra MCOptom discusses her work using AI systems to estimate the progression of wet AMD patients.

Five ways students can get the most out of studying from home in uncertain times

Our Director of Research, Michael Bowen, looks at how the Cochrane review will affect our guidance on myopia management.

With half the world's population estimated to be myopic by 2050, Olivier Denève, our Head of Policy and Public Affairs, asks how we can explain the risks and benefits to patients.

The ‘dark mode’ feature on the new IOS is described as ‘easier on your eyes’, but what's the evidence behind this? Clinical Adviser, Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, provides some insight in his latest blog.

Our Director of Research, Mike Bowen, looks at the correlation between gut health and eye health.

Our Head of Research, Martin Cordiner, reviews the highlights of ARVO, (the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology) the biggest vision science conference in the world.

Our Director of Research, Michael Bowen, looks behind an alarming BBC news story about a Taiwanese woman who had four sweat bees living inside her eye.

Following news of Jack J. Kanski's passing in January at the age of 79, our museum curator, Neil Handley, and College members discuss his legacy in our latest blog.

Over the last few decades, the care that optometrists offer goes well beyond a standard sight test. Clinical Adviser, Daniel Hardiman McCartney FCOptom, discusses whether this could mean the end of the sight test as we know it.

The full programme for Optometry Tomorrow has been released and with the event set for February, there's not long to wait. Here are three sessions our Clinical Adviser is particularly looking forward to.

Our Curator, Neil Handley, recently visited the Science Museum's temporary exhibition celebrating everything under the sun, with a few surprise artifacts from our very own museum.

If you were faced with a patient suffering from domestic abuse, what would you do? Clinical Adviser, Daniel Hardiman-McCartney MCOptom, discusses this difficult topic.

The College Museum Curator recalls his recent lecture to The Ghost Club, the UK’s oldest paranormal society (established 1862) of which it is believed that Charles Dickens was a founder member.

Our Museum Curator recently interviewed the Founding President of the College, Dr Philip Cole OBE, just days after his hundredth birthday.

With technology advancing in ways we never thought possible, it's always a worry that computers may take over many functions we currently perform. Our Director of Research and Clinical Adviser investigate whether optometrists have anything to fear.

For optometrists, the case of Honey Rose, and for doctors the case of Dr Bawa-Garba have caused significant anxiety about gross negligence manslaughter. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care commissioned a rapid review of gross negligence manslaughter in health care. Our Clinical Adviser and Director of Policy and Strategy review the report.

With so much information available at our fingertips, where do you go to find the most accurate answers, especially to clinical questions? Our Head of Research, Martin Cordiner, investigates.

In her last blog, our Head of CPD, Barbara Mason, asked members what they would like to see more of in terms of professional development, and this was the response...

The link between driving and vision has been in the news again. How do you balance their duty of acting in the public interest with that of ensuring patient confidentiality? We examine the issues.

Clinical Adviser, Daniel Hardiman-McCartney MCOptom, explains his reasons why Optometry Tomorrow is the must-attend conference of the year.

A national optical retail chain has announced that it will introduce optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging across its stores. It’s the first national company to offer such a service, and no doubt more will follow. College President Dr Mary-Ann Sherratt MCOptom, ponders the impact on the industry.

The Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) promotes international excellence in education in the healthcare professions. Our Head of Assessment, Joseph Oakley, reports back on their most recent conference.

If you are already meeting your CET requirements, then why bother with continuing professional development (CPD)? Barbara Mason explains CPD and why it's so important for your own professional advancement.

The latest bumper edition of Optometry in Practice is a special themed issue focusing on low vision. Clinical Adviser, Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, explains why he thinks you’ll be referring to it in years to come.

This dementia awareness week, 14-20 May, we are urging as many optometrists as possible to become a Dementia Friend and ensure their practice is dementia friendly.

You may have read an article in the news recently about an app that says its use can reduce the effects of presbyopia. Clinical Adviser, Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, explains the background and what you should tell patients that ask about its effectiveness.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a library in possession of historic spectacles must be in want of an optometrist to interpret them.

In the third of their series of blogs about Optometry Tomorrow 2017, Clinical Adviser Daniel Hardiman-McCartney and Head of Research Martin Cordiner discuss how clinical automation is about to impact practice.

Our Clinical Adviser runs through the latest topics in January's Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics to catch his eye.

Facts. Alternative facts. Evidence. Statistics. Lies.

As optometrists, we spend most of our time looking after other people's health, but have we taken time to consider our own and whether our choice of career has any impact?

In the first of their series of blogs about Optometry Tomorrow 2017, Clinical Adviser Daniel Hardiman-McCartney and Head of Research Martin Cordiner introduce the new imaging technology of OCT-A.

Our Clinical Adviser reports on a recent roundtable event hosted by the College to discuss the future of the optical profession.

Our Head of Research, Martin Cordiner, reports back on this year's American Academy of Optometry’s annual conference.

Our Museum Curator, Neil Handley, talks to Dutch lecturer in optics, Piet Meininger, about Luc Tuymans' latest exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.

Our Director of Education, Jackie Martin, highlights some key issues raised at the Association of Medical Education Europe conference.

The distribution of wealth has changed over the last two or three decades, and this trend is likely to continue. What impact might this be having on eye care?

How the profession collects its data determines how it can be analysed and what you can find out about your patients. It also affects how easily different optical health professionals can work together.

Most optometrists need a refractive correction of one form or another. Have you ever considered how well you need to be able to see to do your job?

Eye health in England faces three challenges and maintaining the status quo is not an option.

In 2015, there was a proposed amendment to the Opticians Act 1989: a Private Members’ Bill to make provision for the sale of adjustable focus spectacles.

In June 2016, Council met to focus on the newest issues and developments facing the profession, review changes to the College and discuss what it means to be a Council member.

With over half a million low cost laser pointers now in circulation, optometrists should be aware of the harm that may result to in particular to children.

Spectacles are now so common that we regard them as an everyday item, we take them for granted and we rarely pay them a second glance.

The Foresight Project examines the how the future of optometry might look up to 2030, including the potential impact of technology among other things.

You help numerous patients to see every day, but when was the last time you thought about how we see?

Clinical Adviser Daniel Hardiman-McCartney and Head of Research Martin Cordiner discuss why you should keep your referral worries in perspective.

Why is traditional lid hygiene still one of the alternative recommended options for treating blepharitis?

What do the latest findings on myopia mean for your practice?

Are you making the most of your College membership? We’re here to make your life in practice, hospital clinic and lecture hall a little bit easier. Here are just some of the ways we can support you:

How do research and practise work together to identify and manage glaucoma?

This week was the launch of Esme’s umbrella, a charity established to increase the awareness of Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS).  

As someone recently injured by their specs, I was interested to read Hoskin et al’s review of spectacle-related eye injuries that has recently been published in Clinical and Experimental Optometry.

Professor Harminder Dua was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the College's annual Diploma ceremony. Here is his moving acceptance speech:

Is myopia associated with birth order in an earlier generation, and does education exposure attenuate the effect?

Are we altering our clinical practice, communication and patient information sufficiently to spare our patients the ill effects and unnecessary worry of cyberchondria?

As we pass the midway point of the summer holidays, the rush is on for parents to get their children’s eyes examined before the start of term.

The biggest eye care innovation in the coming years could be your smartphone.

OPO, the College’s internationally recognised research journal, turns 90 this year and we’ve been undertaking various activities to celebrate the milestone.

The NHS Five Year Forward View includes proposals around improved IT & communications, clinical leadership, eye care pathways, and a better use of skills.

It’s hard to believe it, but Professor Bob Fletcher is 90 years old. Indeed, given his ongoing research and publications in the field of colour vision - I suspect the man himself can’t quite believe it.

Optometrists have always been at pains to stress that the MOT standard number plate test is not in itself a sufficient guide as to someone’s fitness to drive.

Guest blogger, Professor Bruce Evans FCOptom, offers his critique of the recent article Ophthalmic Abnormalities and Reading Impairment by Creavin et al

The issue about whether tests are needed has hit the news again with the campaign to reduce the harmful effects of too much medicine.

The publication of the NICE guidance on glaucoma in 2009 had an unintended consequence - and created a tidal wave of referrals .

Find out more about the Eye Museum's fascinating collection of eclipse memorabilia.

The GOC has just issued a consultation on its draft standards of practice for optometrists and dispensing opticians, and its draft standards for optical students.

Last week Noel Gallagher, former front man of Oasis, announced he is losing his eyesight. So what’s the story? The likelihood is that Noel is affected by a common condition called presbyopia.

Our education team has created postgraduate qualifications for the shared care landscape in which optometrists and their patients now find themselves.

It’s not every day the College of Optometrists shares a news platform with Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian and Julianne Moore, but Friday was not just any day.

One of the more unusual tasks the College’s museum has been called on to perform recently has been advising on a children’s television programme.