01 November 2017

FODO welcome updated NICE glaucoma guideline supporting greater role for optometrists

Updated guidance published today by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 'Glaucoma diagnosis and management', clarifies the role optometrists can play in the diagnosis and management of glaucoma patients.

Welcoming the new guidance, FODO Chief Executive, David Hewlett, said:

"This updated guideline is extremely helpful. The updated Intraocular Pressure (IOP) recommendation brings England and Wales more into line with Scotland and the pathway diagrams are extremely clear. Most importantly, the guideline should enable the NHS to plan services across primary and secondary care to make better use of all available capacity." FODO Clinical Adviser, Professor Steve Taylor, added:

"Optometrists will welcome this new guidance, which makes clear their clinical role in the diagnosis and management pathway for Chronic Open Angle Glaucoma (COAG) and Ocular Hypertension (OHT). It allows for the greater use of their core competences in managing patients outside hospital, and sets a more rational IOP referral threshold. I hope the guidance will now lead to universal implementation of NHS funded glaucoma referral and care services."

This is an update of the 2009 guideline on Glaucoma - 'Glaucoma: diagnosis and management COAG and OHT'.  It sets a new, higher IOP threshold for referral - bringing England more into line with Scotland - and establishes a blueprint for universal referral refinement services based on community optical practices. It also includes new information on: guideline committee and scope; methodology; case finding, diagnosis and monitoring; service models; prognostic risk tools; and the treatment of OHT.

To access the updated guideline, click here.