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The article discusses the key professional bodies, regulators, and representative organisations that offer guidance, support and education or set legal frameworks within which eye care professionals practise. Topics include how coronavirus crisis has led to unparalleled demand from registrants upon the services of the various professional bodies, need to understand the role of each organisation, and General Optical Council (GOC).

The article focuses on the use of high energy pulse application to the skin has been used in dermatology for some years. More recently, application has been found in optometry, in particular the management of meibomian gland disease (MGD) that contributes to dry eye. It mentions that the persistent nature of the condition and the need for good compliance with the currently accepted treatment options makes MGD a stubborn condition to address.

The article discusses the holistic approach of optometry to influence the general health of the patient. Besides vision loss from diabetes, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma, optometrists correlate some disorders or lifestyle practices with ocular loss. These include high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases, obesity, healthy pregnancy, alcohol consumption, and smoking leading to conditions such as dry eye disease, cataracts, uveitis, and vascular occlusions.

The article discusses the many and varied influences on ocular comfort in contact lens wearers and suggest how understanding these may help ensure successful and continued contact lens wear. It suggests correcting any binocular imbalance and pay attention to glare sources in the patient's environment to maximise visual comfort. It states that the physical sensation of discomfort alone does not fully describe the contact lens wearing experience.

The article discusses that Joanne Gooding traces the genesis of the range in the period immediately after the formation of the NHS in 1948. Topics discussed include the range of spectacles provided by the NHS supplementary ophthalmic services in 1948 was based on the existing NHI utility frames; and the frames available under both schemes were intended to fulfil a basic practical function: to hold lenses.

The article discusses the ocular signs of maltreatment and the implications for optometrists. Topics discussed include information on Paediatric Abusive Head Trauma (AHT), a condition that results from shaking, blunt impact, and suffocation; association of severe bilateral flame-shaped haemorrhage and a parental explanation of accidental head injury; and responsibility of children's social care services.

Student OO struck off A Greater Manchester student optometrist convicted of aggravated burglary has been erased from General Optical Council registers by a fitness to practise committee. Gurinder Ranshi was [...]

When Optician broke the story that the University of Portsmouth was planning to launch an optometry programme, some quarters of the working optometric profession greeted the news with cynicism, concerned [...]

Ever felt the urge to lift an awkward patient, or persistent journalist, above your head and escort them from the practice? Manchester-based optometrist Helen Cartwright must show more restraint than [...]

Unprecedented is the only way to describe the manslaughter charges facing an optometrist this week (news) over the tragic death of a young child in East Anglia. Optician would not, [...]

Multiple suspends OO after BBC investigation Optical Express has suspended an optometrist who incorrectly told an undercover reporter working for the BBC's Inside Out West programme that laser eye surgery [...]

five-year cheer: Independent optical business Prab Boparai Opticians, formerly Bushbury Eyecare, celebrated five years in Wolverhampton this month. To mark the occasion the practice held an open day on August [...]

BBR provides extra emergency services An optical practice has gained new patients and helped reduce hospital waiting times by providing more enhanced eye services. Hereford-based BBR Optometry has extended the [...]

AIO reacts to 'paltry' GOS fee increase A strong statement has been issued by the Association of Independent Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians (AIO) following the DoH's increase in GOS fees [...]

Optometrists are well placed to advise patients about the prevention of diabetes amid soaring cases in the UK. The number of people living with diabetes in the UK has soared [...]

Dr Scott Mackie describes a recent venture by UK practitioners providing clinical and educational support A team from the UK consisting of four optometrists, an ophthalmologist, a GP and three [...]

Keratoconus is a progressive, non-inflammatory, ectatic disorder of the cornea and is characterised by decreasing corneal thickness and increasing corneal curvature (quantified by steepest keratometry reading).6 This coincides with increasing [...]

GOC sets out what it expects of registrants New standards of practice for eye care professionals and students drew a mixed response from the optical community after being cleared by [...]

There was a positive buzz about Independents Day this year and it wasn't just the boundless energy of founders David Goad and Nick Atkins. For 10 years Goad and Atkins [...]

* I am rather perplexed regarding recent adverts (The outside clinic) for super optometrists. Who decides this 'super' prefix? Is it the individual who applies for the position? Is it [...]

Coventry OO suspended A General Optical Council fitness to practise committee has suspended Coventry-based optometrist Mathew Clarke for 12 months. The committee ruled that his practice was impaired by virtue [...]

It's exciting isn't it; all over England optometrists are enjoying the fruits of the haphazard divide and rule piecemeal commissioning that is PEARS, MECS, repeat measures and glaucoma referral refinement. [...]

Senior optometrists and opticians across the UK are being advised to take note of further changes to HMRC tax limits on pensions provision and consider whether they wish to take [...]

pre-reg focus: Bookings have opened for a new College of Optometrists event for pre-registration trainees. Two-thirds of the tickets have already been sold for Insight, which is being held in [...]

As we come to the end of a pre-reg period of dedication, hard work and persistence, the journey may finally seem over. But it is most important for every pre-reg [...]

Before Anna Turvey decided to train for an amateur triathlon five years ago she didn't even think she was all that sporty. Fast forward to July 2014, and the very [...]

Optometrist Nicola McElvanney has been appointed new chair of Optometry Scotland. McElvanney, an independent optometrist with a practice in the west end of Glasgow, is the past chair of Greater [...]

offord to zambia: Newcastle OO Michael Offord is to give up his two-week summer holiday later this month to volunteer in Zambia with Vision Aid Overseas. Offord will be part [...]

* I write in response to Chris Bennett's editorial (22.5.15). 'Research is great but action is better' which challenges the sector's associations, organisations and bodies to do more to do [...]

More delegates than ever before attended this year's annual EAOO conference, with over 300 optometrists, dispensing and contact lens opticians coming together from 44 countries, across Europe and beyond. The [...]

Optical salaries vary by more than [pounds sterling]8k Experienced optometrists in East Anglia earned up to [pounds sterling]8,300 more than practitioners in other parts of the UK last year, according [...]

Les Clarke has thrown down a challenge to optometrists thinking about advanced OCTs. 'Does an optometrist really need this,' asks Les. 'Once we have referred the patient to the NHS [...]

Screening and detection In the second article in our series looking at glaucoma, Dr Clare O'Donnell and Mr Dan Nguyen review the various assessment and diagnostic techniques used. Module C41010, [...]

site for sore eyes: South Yorkshire optical group Martyn Kemp Opticians is building a new practice to relocate its Stocksbridge outlet into the local Fox Valley Development due to open [...]

Optometrist to appear at Grand Designs Live feast for the eyes: Northampton optometrist Brian Tompkins appeared alongside professional chefs at Grand Designs Live at the weekend to demonstrate how healthy [...]

Practices help diabetes study Four Manchester-based optical practices are taking part in a study into how early diabetic neuropathy diagnosis compares with retinopathy results among 400 diabetes patients. Murrays Opticians, [...]

Optometrists are trained to test for stereopsis for a variety of good reasons. These include picking up early binocular vision problems in paediatric assessment. More recently there has been emphasis [...]

campaign trail: An awareness event in Northamptonshire has set out to raise the importance of regular eye tests. Northamptonshire Eye Health Awareness Week took place from April 27 until May [...]

Optometrist struck off Optometrist James Paul Hands has been erased from General Optical Council registers after a fitness to practise committee heard that he had been sentenced to 14 weeks [...]

Association of Independent Optometrists target younger members youth policy: Younger practitioners are being targeted by the Association of Independent Optometrists (AIO) in efforts to modernise and set up new support [...]

A drive to encourage more people to visit an optician to access acute eye care rather than going to their GP or A&E has been launched by the Welsh government.The [...]

Rachael Smith and Petra Maxwell describe a rare but significant ocular neoplasm. CET module C40552, one CET point for optometrists and dispensing opticians Although very rare, retinoblastoma (Rb) is the [...]

Institute awards two doctorates Doctorates have been awarded to two Institute of Optometry students. Adrian Chorley and Peter Campbell have earned the qualifications, described as equivalent to a PhD but [...]

window to the west end: Clamp Optometrists, part of the Hakim Group, has teamed up with West End set designer Jo Littlewood to create an eye-catching window display. The practice [...]

Verum writes: Standards of practice It seems that for some time now, every week we read in this magazine of an optometrist or dispensing optician who has been suspended from [...]

College backs show lectures As part of Optrafair's education programme the College of Optometrists is supporting a lecture by Kathryn Saunders, Professor of Optometry and Vision Science and head of [...]

caught on camera: Optometrist and camera enthusiast Nick Rumney shared his efforts at catching the eclipse with Optician last week. Taking the photos using a tripod in Hereford, his method [...]

SOFA TIME: Haine & Smith partner and optometrist Keith Bottomley is to retire from the Wiltshire-based optical firm after a career spanning over 40 years. Bottomley, who qualified as an [...]

Boots partners Herts optometry course Boots Opticians has been confirmed as the multiple partner for a new optometry Masters course at the University of Hertfordshire following a launch event last [...]

Hynes Optometrists of Ealing was the top fundraising practice for Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) through its collection box donations in 2014 for the third year running. Taking part in World [...]