General
Domains: Clinical practice, Professionalism
No CPD Points
Welcome to Docet’s podcast Sound Optometry, hosted by Michelle Hanratty, an IP optometrist with 20 years’ experience on the high street and in hospital. Each month, with case studies and in-depth conversations, we will be exploring topics that matter the most to you as optometrists and are relevant for everyday practice.
Episode 29 - Hydroxychloroquine: Potentially toxic, potentially blinding
Hydroxychloroquine retinopathy can cause irreversible sight loss, and a patient case of rapid deterioration with devastating consequences has prompted Sound Optometry to highlight this topic to optometrists.
The episode starts with Janice McCrudden telling the host Michelle Hanratty about the stark reality of hydroxychloroquine retinopathy that is discovered too late. It puts into context the reasons why The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has updated the guidelines around the management of patients who are taking hydroxychloroquine long-term.
A pilot monitoring scheme is running in Wales and we hear from both patient and optometrist about their experience in this setting. The monitoring protocol is explained and the benefits of this service in terms of patient care and effective use of NHS resource are discussed.
The second part of the episode explores the toxicity effects of hydroxychloroquine with Consultant Ophthalmologist Rhianon Reynolds. The new guidelines are explained, and the episode concludes with a reminder to optometrists to be ever vigilant when encountering a patient on this drug.
An additional reading element consolidates the learning on this topic.
Subscribe to the series on your preferred podcast player so you don’t miss an episode. You can access all episodes of Sound Optometry here.
First published: May 2023
Last reviewed: March 2024