ArticleOphthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)2022
Optometry independent prescribing during COVID lockdown in Wales.
Article in Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evaluation of the Community Urgent Eyecare Service in Greater Manchester, Including the Impact of Independent Prescribing.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2026Article
- The Rise of Independent Prescribing by Optometrists in Wales 2020-2024: Number of Practices, Drugs and Costs.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2026Article
- A review of UK primary care pathways for acute ophthalmic conditions.Eye (London, England) · 2025Review
- Pharmaceutical Prescribing Privileges for Optometrists to Combat Childhood Myopia in Singapore: Public Health Policy Review and Analysis.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- An evaluation of optometric advanced skills within a UK tertiary based setting.Eye (London, England) · 2024Article
- The burden of acute eye conditions on different healthcare providers: a retrospective population-based study.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2024Article
- The effectiveness of interventions for optometric referrals into the hospital eye service: A review.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2023Review
- Optometry independent prescribing during COVID lockdown in Wales.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionDuring the COVID-19 lockdown, primary care optometry services in Wales moved to a hub model of provision. Three independent prescribing models were available in different areas: a commissioned Independent Prescribing Optometry Service (IPOS), independent prescribers that were not commissioned and no independent prescribers available. This allowed a unique opportunity for comparison.
methodOptometry practices completed an online survey for each patient episode. Analysis of the data gave insight into patient presentation to urgent eye services and the drugs prescribed by optometrists. Medicines prescribed, sold or given and onward referral were compared between areas with an IPOS service (n = 2), those with prescribers but no commissioned service (n = 2) and those with no prescribers (n = 2).
resultsData from 22,434 reported patient episodes from 81 optometry practices in six health boards between 14 April 2020 and 30 June 2020 were analysed. Urgent care accounted for 10,997 (49.02%) first appointments and 1777 (7.92%) follow-ups. Most (18,006, 80.26%) patients self-referred. The most common presenting symptom was 'Eye pain/discomfort' (4818, 43.81% of urgent attendances). Anterior segment pathology was the most reported finding at first (6078, 55.27%) and follow-up (1316, 74.06%) urgent care appointments. Topical steroids (373, 25.99% of prescriptions) were the most prescribed medications. More medications were prescribed in areas with an IPOS service (1136, 79.16% of prescriptions) than areas with prescribers but no commissioned service. There were more follow-up appointments in optometric practice and fewer urgent referrals to ophthalmology in IPOS areas.
conclusionUrgent care services were most utilised by patients with discomfort caused by anterior eye conditions. IPOS services enabled optometrists to manage conditions to resolution without referral and without reduction in medications sold or given. Commissioners should recognise the value in reducing burden in urgent ophthalmology and the need for follow-up as part of a commissioned independent prescribing service.
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