Course: Advances in Eyecare: Multidisciplinary approaches to eye health, Section: Unit 3

General

No CPD Points

This edition of Advances in Eyecare focuses on a variety of issues associated with low vision and takes a closer look at the Medicines Use Review service offered by pharmacists.

Dark Adaptation: Dr Ian Murray discusses his research on dark adaptation in early stage AMD, exploring the implications of this research, and whether it has the ability to aid the earlier detection of the disease.

Depression & Low Vision: Dr Tom Margrain reviews the outcomes of his study, a recent collaboration between the charity Guide Dogs and Cardiff University, on the prevalence of depression in the visually impaired.

Comorbidities & Low Vision: Dr Helen Court discusses her cross-sectional analysis of the comorbidities of visual impairment.

Eccentric Viewing: Professor Chris Dickinson summarises her research on eccentric viewing and associated techniques, including steady eye strategy, in order to determine the usefulness of such visual training for patients.

Medicines Use Review: Bobby Sira, a Consultant Pharmacist, speaks about the importance and function of Medical Use Reviews in clinical practice.

Last published: March 2017

Unit 3 - Comorbidities and Low Vision (~12 mins)

Comorbidities and Low Vision

Depression is a big concern for older visually impaired people and can compromise health and rehabilitation outcomes. Dr Helen Court, optometry tutor at NHS Education Scotland, observed that in many previous studies of visual impairment as a comorbidity, the evidence often relied on anecdote or self-reporting.

Dr Helen Court discusses her cross-sectional analysis of comorbidities associated with visual impairment with Dr Janet Pooley.

FileComorbidities and Low Vision File
References

Barnett K, et al. 2012. Epidemiology of multimorbidity and implications for health care, research, and medical education: a cross-sectional study. The Lancet. 380 (9836), 37 – 43.

Court H, et al. 2014. Visual impairment is associated with physical and mental comorbidities in older adults: a cross-sectional study. BMC Med. 12: 181.

Whitson HE, et al. 2011. Categorizing the effect of comorbidity: a qualitative study of individuals' experiences in a low-vision rehabilitation program. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 59 (10), 1802 – 9.