The New Zealand ophthalmology workforce 2008

Abstract

This report identifies a growing gap between supply of NZ ophthalmologists and demand for their services. We highlight the need for a comprehensive model with a detailed analysis of the many factors influencing supply and demand, enabling planning for an appropriate supply of ophthalmologists meeting the needs of the future NZ population.

Shared Care in Monitoring Stable Glaucoma Patients

“…6,7 In patients at a low risk of becoming significantly visually impaired during their lifetime, monitoring of the disease probably does not have to be performed entirely by an ophthalmologist but by (community) optometrists and ophthalmic technicians. [8][9][10] Suitable patients for such follow-up would be those in whom the glaucoma is relatively mild, has stabilized or progresses at a relatively low rate or is not even apparent yet. In the latter group, follow-up would be merely required because the patients carried an increased risk of developing the disease, for instance in those with a positive family history.…”

Use of digital retinal imaging in screening for retinopathy of prematurity

“…Revisions to the screening recommendations of ROP that came into effect in 2006 have increased the proportion of premature infants eligible for screening 5 . More ophthalmologists are required to cope with this revision; however, the lack of availability of ophthalmologists continues to be a problem around the world 15,16 . In the USA, only 11% of all ophthalmologists can perform ROP screening examinations and only 6% can provide treatment for ROP 17 .…”

“…Only capital cities have paediatric ophthalmologists 19 . In New Zealand, there is a growing gap between the number of ophthalmologists and the demand for their services 15 …”

Comparison of a Remote Operating Slit-Lamp Microscope System With a Conventional Slit-Lamp Microscope System for Examination of Trabeculectomy Eyes

“…[1][2][3] Medical experts, including ophthalmologists, tend to concentrate in the urban areas and this trend has accelerated the severe lack of medical experts in the rural areas. The remote slit-lamp system shows similar potential to the slit-lamp system for the evaluation of trabeculectomy eyes, although the evaluation time is much longer.…”

“…2,3 The introduction of tele-medicine may solve this problem. The incidence of glaucoma increases with age.…”