The content of optometric eye examinations for a young myope with headaches

Abstract

SP encounters are an effective way of measuring clinical care within optometry and should be considered for further comparative measurements of quality of care. As in research using SPs in other healthcare disciplines, our study has highlighted substantial differences between different practitioners in the duration and depth of their clinical investigations. This highlights the fact that not all eye examinations are the same and that there is no such thing as a 'standard sight test'. We recommend that future optometric continuing education could usefully focus on migraine diagnosis and assessment.

Objective Measures and Subjective Reports

“…Yet, how optometrists actually go about their day-to-day work has remained largely unexplored. Standard patient research investigates what tests and examinations optometrists conduct (Shah, Edgar, & Evans, 2010;Shah, Edgar, Rabbetts, Blakeney, et al, 2008;Shah, Edgar, Rabbetts, Harle, & Evans, 2009), but they do not address how these activities are accomplished in the specific and contingent circumstances of consultations.…”

Comparative analysis of delivery of primary eye care in three European countries

“…The quality of this optometric core services in general is addressed in some of the studies found (see Table 21) and should be dealt with briefly, before then proceeding with the studies relating to single conditions. Studies on the quality of optometric eye examinations Shah et al [2008] The content of optometric eye examinations for a young myope with headaches Shah et al [2009a] Glaucoma detection: the content of optometric eye examinations for a presbyobic patient of African racial descent Shah et al [2009b] The content of optometric eye examinations for a presbyopic patient presenting with symptome of flashing lights…”

“…35 % of the practitioner asked four of the seven gold standard questions relating to these symptoms, but none asked all seven. Regarding all three scenarios, Shah et al [2008; came to the conclusion that future continuing education for optometrists could usefully address the conditions analyzed in the scenarios; moreover, their findings led them to the conclusion that there is no ‗standard sight test'. The authors do not draw a definite conclusion regarding the performance of optometrists on sight testing.…”

“…In the first scenario of a 20-year-old myope complaining of symptoms suggestive of migraine headaches [Shah et al 2008], 98 % of the optometrists identified the presence of the headaches, but none practitioner asked all eight questions considered as gold standard for the investigation. At least half of the questions were asked by 22 % of the practitioners.…”

“…The checklists based on expert panels' opinions and information from evidence-based reviews and clinical guidelines [Shah et al 2009c]. One of the aims of this study was the evaluation of the appropriateness of the eye examinations carried out for the presented patient [Shah et al 2008;Shah et al 2009a;Shah et al 2009b]. …”