More than meets the eye

Putting Helen Davidson's eye health into focus is consultant ophthalmologist Mike Bearn.

THE days when people perceived the optician simply as the place where you went to get your new glasses are long gone.

A visit to your local optometrist (opticians), especially if you notice a change in your vision, could prove vital in early diagnosis of a range of sight-threatening conditions.

You still get your specs from the optician but their role extends far beyond merely providing a prescription for glasses.

Consultant ophthalmologist Mike Bearn, one of two eye specialists at Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin, deals with many of the people for whom sight problems have become so severe that an operation or other treatment is necessary.

However, prevention and early treatment of conditions could be aided by more people viewing their optician as the first port of call.

Many people still regard the GP or accident and emergency department of Dr Gray's Hospital as the best place to go to.

However, Mr Bearn said: "Optometrists are becoming increasingly the focal point as they are experts in eye care and have the equipment and skills to make an accurate diagnosis and can expedite referral to the most appropriate and timely service if required."

"If you had a tooth problem you wouldnt go to your GP," he added, "you would go to the dentist."

The link between optometrists and local health care providers has been strengthened following an eye care review across Grampian in recent years.

A national campaign to raise awareness of wet macular degeneration, responsible for 75% of severe visual impairment and the biggest cause of blindness in the UK, and a new treatment which can be very beneficial if received early enough is ongoing.

"The optometrist can examine the eye and if there appears to be wet macular degeneration," said Mr Bearn, "has a hot line to the macular treatment centre in Aberdeen."

It is hoped this service will be available at Dr Gray's Hospital in the near future but at present the expertise and equipment is in Aberdeen.

The most common form is dry macular degeneration which affects 15% of the over-75 population and develops gradually over years, although is not too disabling until the latter stages.

Mr Bearn deals with a range of eye conditions, ranging from cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, chidlren's eye diseases such as squints and lazy eye, eyelid disorders and tear passages.

For people with untreatable visual impairment there is a team responsible for providing support. Dr Gray's also provides a low vision clinic run by the senior orthoptist Morag Magillivray who also screens and treats children's eye problems.

Aside from this patients seen at Dr Gray's, the eye team also runs regular community clinics in Forres, Buckie, Keith, Huntly and Banff.

The local eye health network is focused on trying to prevent serious eye problems developing.

"Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent people losing their vision," said Mr Bearn. Having said that, the eye team at Dr Gray's still deals with around 800 cataract cases a year and carries out about 12 operations each week.

The total time from seeing an optometrist to having surgery is normally less than 18 weeks. Mr Bearn has witnessed a huge increase in the number of cataract procedures carried out, largely because the operation has become much simpler to perform. In his previous area, Carlisle, the number of cataract operations had risen from 200 to 3,000 a year over a 25 year period.

"When I first did ophthalmology in 1983 you had to go blind before you could get a cataract operation because the surgery was so awful," he said.

Nowadays the surgery is usually carried out under local anesthetic and takes no more than 30 minutes, with patients in and out the same day

The oldest person Mr Bearn has performed a cataract operation on was 105, although his oldest patient during his time at Dr Gray's was 99.

Whatever age you are, the earlier you get diagnosis and treatment of an eye health problem the better it is for your vision in the long-term.