Sound Optometry is the podcast from Docet that provides high quality continuing professional development (CPD) for fully-qualified UK-GOC-registered optometrist...
46: Burnout in Optometry – Causes, challenges & solutions
A study conducted in Australia found that around half of optometrists experience burnout. One in every three optometrists also live with a mental health condition. We all know what workplace stress can feel like, but few of us can probably spot the signs of long-term stress turning into burnout. That can lead to even more serious mental health challenges and can affect how we care for our patients.
In this episode, Michelle Hanratty is joined by Neil Retallic, an optometrist and researcher in mental welfare at the University of Bradford, who is currently conducting a large survey of optometrists in the UK and Ireland. Neil explains why stress and burnout are more common in our profession than in the general population. Michelle then asks Dr Nicholas Taylor, a consultant psychiatrist, how to intervene before longer-term problems arise. Can we address root causes of stress in the workplace?
Next month, Michelle will examine the physiological effect that long-term stress can have on optometrists.
Listen to our previous episodes on patient mental health (episode 26) and how to improve optometrists’ general wellbeing at work (episode 24).
If you have a topic in mind that you’d like us to cover, or if you’ve got an interesting case study you’d like to share, send Docet a message on LinkedIn.
GOC-registered optometrists practising in England, Wales or Northern Ireland can gain 1 CPD point by listening to this podcast and completing the exercise on our website. This episode covers the GOC domains of Professionalism, and Leadership & Accountability. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.
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45: Vision and Dementia – Modifying risk for better outcomes
One in three people born in the UK today will go on to develop dementia — a term used to describe a range of neurological conditions that cause the loss of cognitive functioning. It’s been established that dementia can affect vision and recently, researchers have realised that visual impairment is a modifiable risk factor for dementia, too. In other words, vision correction can, at the very least, improve the quality of life of patients who have dementia. It may even reduce the progression of their cognitive decline.
In this episode, Michelle Hanratty and Dr Rakhee Shah, an optometrist, lecturer and researcher at City St George’s, University of London, discuss the connections between dementia and the eyes. Michelle then asks Simon Raw, a domiciliary optometrist at The Outside Clinic, about how to get the most out of examinations with patients who have dementia. Finally, if advanced visual corrections are required, such as cataract surgery, how can optometrists ensure that the correct consent procedure is followed? Fadi Alfaqawi, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon for Optegra, explains how to determine what is in the best interest of a patient.
This podcast expands on Docet’s recent webinar, which was presented by Rakhee Shah and Simon Raw.
If you have a topic in mind that you’d like us to cover, or if you’ve got an interesting case study you’d like to share, send Docet a message on LinkedIn.
GOC-registered optometrists practising in England, Wales or Northern Ireland can gain 1 CPD point by listening to this podcast and completing the exercise on our website. This episode covers the GOC domains of Clinical Practice and Communication. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.
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44: Corneal Conditions – Shape and clarity
Optometrists commonly encounter corneal conditions in practice—such as keratoconus, Fuch’s endothelial corneal dystrophy and recurrent corneal epithelial erosion syndrome. As Professor Sai Kolli explains in this podcast, the management of corneal dystrophies may involve monitoring, therapeutic treatment or onward referral, depending on their severity. Michelle Hanratty also hears from Christina and her son Sam, who discovered that he has keratoconus earlier this year. Their story illustrates the importance of regular childhood eye examinations and why clear, empathetic communication from optometrists is essential when they deliver potential diagnoses.
Professor Sai Kolli is the Consultant Lead for corneal, cataract and refractive surgery at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust. This podcast expands on Docet’s “Common Corneal Conditions: What every optometrist needs to know!”, which was presented by Professor Kolli. Sai answers many of the follow-up questions that optometrists sent in.
If you have a topic in mind that you’d like us to cover, or if you’ve got an interesting case study you’d like to share, send Docet a message on LinkedIn.
GOC-registered optometrists practising in England, Wales or Northern Ireland can gain 1 CPD point by listening to this podcast and completing the exercise on our website. This episode covers the GOC domains of Communication and Clinical Practice. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.
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43: Vision Standards – Colour perception and more
Vision standards and occupational eye testing can have profound consequences on patients and their families, especially when children are weighing up their career prospects. It’s therefore important that optometrists understand how tests are carried out and the implications of their results. In this episode, Michelle Hanratty takes a trip to the vision research centre at City St George's, University of London, to meet Professor John Barbur. John explains how occupational vision standards vary and how different tests are carried out.
What if a patient doesn’t meet the vision standards for their dream job, though? Optometrists will often need to break bad news to patients, which can be challenging. With this in mind, Michelle receives some tips from Ian Trimmer, a social worker who specialises in mastering difficult conversations.
If you have a topic in mind that you’d like us to cover, or if you’ve got an interesting case study you’d like to share, send Docet a message on LinkedIn.
GOC-registered optometrists practising in England, Wales or Northern Ireland can gain 1 CPD point by listening to this podcast and completing the exercise on our website. This episode covers the GOC domains of Communication and Clinical Practice. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.
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42: Presbyopia – Refractive surgery solutions
As it is a condition that comes on with ageing, presbyopia is something that optometrists very commonly encounter in practice. For most people who develop long-sightedness, their eyesight is easily corrected with spectacles and sometimes contact lenses. But many patients seek to reduce their dependence on spectacles and that’s where refractive surgery can provide a welcome solution.
In this episode, Michelle Hanratty explores how to advise patients on their options and how to manage post-surgery patients with more confidence. Professor Clare O’Donnell, Head of Eye Science at Optegra, talks about her presbyopic journey, which resulted in laser vision correction. Michelle then discusses refractive lens exchange options with Amir Hamid, a cataract and refractive surgeon. Finally, specialist refractive optometrist Sundeep Vaswani and Michelle look at the considerations that need to be taken into account when patients that have undergone presbyopic surgery attend for an eye examination.
If you have a topic in mind that you’d like us to cover, or if you’ve got an interesting case study you’d like to share, send Docet a message on LinkedIn.
GOC-registered optometrists practising in England, Wales or Northern Ireland can gain 1 CPD point by listening to this podcast and completing the exercise on our website. This episode covers the GOC domains of Communication and Clinical Practice. Docet - dedicated to providing quality optometric education and professional development.
Sound Optometry is the podcast from Docet that provides high quality continuing professional development (CPD) for fully-qualified UK-GOC-registered optometrists practising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each month, we’ll be exploring the topics that matter most to us optometrists with case studies and in-depth conversations.
You can gain 1 CPD point by listening to this podcast and completing the exercise on http://docet.info.
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