General
Domains: Clinical practice, Communication
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 33 - Cataract surgery: Understanding risks and managing complications
Optometrists have become increasingly involved in cataract surgery patient pathways from direct referral to postoperative care. This podcast will better equip optometrists with the knowledge to explain the risks and benefits of cataract surgery to patients and to have an understanding of the factors that may influence the risk of complications. It is also important that optometrists are able to recognise potential postoperative cataract surgery complications when conducting routine postoperative assessments in practice and know whether to reassure, react or refer.
Podcast host Michelle Hanratty and Consultant Ophthalmologist David Lockington discuss how to get the balance right when explaining cataract surgery to patients so that they are well prepared when attending for a cataract pre-operative assessment. The consent process is explored in depth, and David shares a surgeon’s insight into the risks that make a cataract surgery more complex, but not necessarily complicated.
The second part of the podcast concentrates on postoperative complications and the importance of setting patient expectations prior to surgery to avoid disappointment or disruption to a patient’s lifestyle.
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: October 2023
Last reviewed: September 2024