4 Topic Commentaries

Optometrists’ Role in Retinal Care in the Anti-VEGF Era

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  Sherry J. Bass, OD

  Optometry; Retina/Electrodiagnostics

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  SUNY College of Optometry

  “The University Eye Center of the SUNY College of Optometry receives many in-house and out-of-house referrals from both optometrists and ophthalmologists,” says Bass. “Often patients present with unusual retinal findings and symptoms. The referring doctors are unable to diagnose what their patients have and refer them to our electrodiagnostic clinic, where we often have to perform an ERG.” — verbatim from source

  Source
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  Jeff Dabundo, OD

  Optometry; Triage and Urgent Eye Care

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  UW Medicine Eye Institute, University of Washington

  “It’s working well for these patients,” said triage optometrist Jeff Dabundo, OD, who joined the Eye Institute in January. “The patients can be seen in the triage clinic in a timely way to assess the urgency.” — verbatim from source

  Source
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  Laura Di Meglio, OD

  Optometry; Comprehensive Eye Care and Retina Referral

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  Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine

  “Our role is not only to improve sight with glasses or contact lenses but also to evaluate the health of the eye, identify underlying causes and connect patients with the right care when needed,” she says. — verbatim from source

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  Vikas Khetan, MBBS

  Ophthalmology; Retina and Ocular Oncology

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  Flaum Eye Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center

  “Intraocular melanomas, retinoblastomas and other tumors are easily detected by an optometrist or ophthalmologist during an eye exam,” Khetan said. “This is because the eye is a clear window. When an irregularity is seen, patients are then referred to an ocular oncologist to confirm the diagnosis. If it is cancer, we can then determine the course of treatment.” — verbatim from source

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