This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (16)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Results of a National Survey of Optometrists

Eric B. Bass, MD, MPH; Earl P. Steinberg, MD, MPP; Rajiv Luthra, MD, MPH; Oliver D. Schein, MD; Jonathan Javitt, MD, MPH; Phoebe Sharkey, PhD; James Tielsch, PhD; Marcia W. Legro, PhD; Jordan Kassalow, OD, MPH; Donald Steinwachs, PhD; Cataract Patient Outcome Research Team

Arch Ophthalmol. 1995;113(1):27-31.

Abstract
Objective
To assess variation in optometrists' use of ophthalmic tests in the evaluation of patients being considered for cataract surgery who have no history of other eye disease.

Design/Participants
National survey of a systematic sample of practicing members of the American Optometric Association (St Louis, Mo), who had referred at least one patient to an ophthalmologist for consideration of cataract surgery in 1991.

Results
Ninety-two of 130 eligible responding optometrists reported that they routinely performed preoperative testing on patients being considered for cataract surgery. Of these 92 optometrists, 91 (99%) frequently or always performed refraction, and 82 (89%) frequently or always performed a dilated fundus examination in their evaluation of patients being considered for cataract surgery who had no history of other eye disease. None of these 92 optometrists reported using B-scan ultrasonography or electroretinograms frequently or always, and few used A-scan ultrasonography or visual evoked responses frequently or always. A substantial percentage frequently or always used formal visual field testing (47%), formal color vision testing (40%), fundus photography (24%), potential acuity measurement (25%), glare testing (23%), contrast sensitivity testing (19%), and specular microscopy (14%), while 11% to 81% of optometrists never performed these tests on such patients. More recent graduation from optometry school was associated with a decreased frequency of use of potential acuity measurement and contrast sensitivity testing and with an increased use of dilated fundus examinations.

Conclusion
There is a substantial variation in optometrists' self-reported use of a number of ophthalmic tests in the preoperative evaluation of patients being considered for cataract surgery who have no history of other eye disease.

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Medicine (Drs Bass and Steinberg) and Ophthalmology (Drs Luthra, Schein, and Tielsch), The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and the Department of Health Policy and Management (Drs Bass, Steinberg, Legro, and Steinwachs), The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Md; The Worthen Center for Eye Care Research, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC (Dr Javitt); and the Department of Information Systems and Decision Sciences, Sellinger School of Business, Loyola College, Baltimore, Md (Dr Sharkey). Dr Kassalow is in private practice in New York, NY.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Techniques to Improve Physicians' Use of Diagnostic Tests: A New Conceptual Framework
Solomon et al.
JAMA 1998;280:2020-2027.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Do We Understand the Effects of 'Managed Care' in Ophthalmology? A Review and Analysis
Asch et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 1997;115:531-536.
ABSTRACT  

Postoperative Management of Cataract Surgery Patients by Ophthalmologists and Optometrists
Bass et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 1996;114:1121-1127.
ABSTRACT