Wales
Key Points
- Acute red eye care and referral refinement pathways for cataract and suspect glaucoma are found throughout Wales.
- Some community optometrists offer referral-refinement-enhanced assessment of initial suspect glaucoma referrals from other practices.
- Post-operative cataract follow-up assessment services are offered by some practices.
- There is a Welsh low vision service where registered practices offer assessment and help without the need for hospital referral.
- The Macula Pathfinder Project has been established with local ophthalmology which allows community optometrists to monitor treated AMD patients with OCT.
- Welsh Eye Health Examination (WEHE) accreditation ensures optometrists have the right skillset to assess and triage patients – 96% of Welsh practices are accredited.
- Independent prescribing (IP) has benefits in allowing optometrists to treat patients without the need for further referral to secondary care.
- WEHE allows banded remuneration for services offered and reduces the costs previously incumbent upon secondary care.
- Auditing of one of the original PEARS schemes suggested that over 60% of patients may be managed well in primary care.