Visual screening

[ituryu]

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Well I had a sort of misunderstanding in class today becos we are planning free visual screening in my school in Nigeria . Those in charge feel there should be a section for case history , but I feel that only a complaint would be needed the refer them to visit the clinic . What do you all think ? 😕 And don't sleep over it 😴

 

[cpw]

we take case history on older patients at screenings so we know if they are diabetic or hypertensive. if they are diabetic and haven't had a full dilated exam in the last year... they get referred.

 

[ituryu]

I can understand asking the older pxts if they are diabetic or hypertensive , but I know you understand what a case history is and you know it is extensive and does not end til the pxt is out of the clinic . But for a visual screening , you are dealing with a large population . Do you really think there would be that enough time for you to go thru the chief complaint to the PMHx, OVHx, FOVHx, becos I know this is an extensive and essential part of routine eye examination 😕

 

[r_salis]

Just hit the highlights -- hypertension, diabetes, glaucoma (in the family as well as in the individual), and ask if the patient has any known eye problems. It's not a comprehensive history, but it covers the "biggies".

 

[Richard_Hom]

The goals of the visual screening probably haven't been established. Thus, your problem.

1. Is it to identify those who might need glasses?
2. Is it to identify those who might have ocular disease?
3. Is this a PR or marketing push of some sort for yourself or your school's clinic?
4. Do you care if there is any valuable information to be obtained from the screening?

Most will agree that tonometry alone during vision screenings will likely catch only a fraction of the glaucoma patients. And unless you do a history and a dilated fundus exam, you won't know that you have anyone who has an eye problem.

For screening a thousand people a day, then visual acuity with their best glasses or without (if none available) is still the best screening metric for the biggest gain and with the least complexity.

In my opinion, all other vision screening criteria fits #3.

Richard Hom, OD,FAAO

 

[ituryu]

I totally agree with you , the mistake was not defining why to carry out the visual screening in the first place becos this will give it meaning and purpose int the first place and the aim it is set out to achieve .
Thanks for the insight and yes you were also right , it is a patient drive for the school . 👍

 

[Xalatan1]

Well I had a sort of misunderstanding in class today becos we are planning free visual screening in my school in Nigeria . Those in charge feel there should be a section for case history , but I feel that only a complaint would be needed the refer them to visit the clinic . What do you all think ? 😕 And don't sleep over it 😴

it's good for clinical practice