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7 DAYS ARU opens £1.9m Sensor y Sciences Centre facebook.com/opticianonline Glyn Jones Glyn Jones, 68, was driving an Audi A3, which hit Marie Cunningham, 79, and Grace Foulds, 85, while they were crossing the road in Southport in 2021, who later died from their injuries. Jones failed a roadside eye test and had not notified the DVLA that he suffered from a severe eye condition that affected his eyesight and ability to drive safely. He was jailed for seven years and fourth months, and banned from driving for nine years and 10 months after pleading guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving. An expert optometrist who gave evidence during the case said Jones’ vision was well below the standard required for driving a vehicle, which he was informed of on several occasion by opticians and his G P. The optometrist said: ‘His vision without any correction would have been so poor that he would not have managed to see the steering wheel of his vehicle clearly.’ US OOs experiencing burnout A survey commissioned by the American Academy of Optometrists found low a low level of depression among optometrists but a high level of burnout. Bernadette Melnyk, vice president for health promotion and chief wellness officer at the Ohio State University, conducted a national wellness survey of 4,000 academy fellows. She noted heavy alcohol consumption, particularly among women during Covid-19, and fellows struggling with fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity and sleep. The study found that levels of depression and clinical anxiety A new Sensor y Sciences Centre at Cambridge’s Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) launched on Januar y 24, including £1.9m of cutting-edge equipment, teaching and research space to suppor t optometr y, ophthalmic dispensing and audiology students. Dr Helen Keyes, head of school at ARU, said: ‘Vision and hearing courses have now been taught at ARU in Cambridge for 30 years, and new equipment within the Sensor y Sciences Centre ensures that ARU remains at the cutting edge. This is a wonderful investment for our students and for the members of the public they will go on to ser ve.’ The Sensor y Sciences Centre, located at ARU’s Compass House on East Road, contains LED ophthalmoscopes, video slit lamps and a corneal topographer, allowing ARU students to hone their clinical skills prior to seeing patients in the university eye clinic. Penny Barker, a patient at the university’s clinic was guest of honour and opened the centre, which coincided with the 30th anniversar y of ARU’s Vision and Hearing Sciences depar tment. ARU also highlighted new courses for 2024 including a Masters degree in optometr y and a blended-learning ophthalmic dispensing undergraduate degree, which follow the recent successful introduction of the audiology degree apprenticeship course. were low among optometrists but they also reported feeling burned out and experiencing a poor quality of life. CHEC opens Ilford ophthalmology hospital Community Health and Eyecare (CHEC) opened its latest hospital in Ilford on Ilford Hill, which it said provided a central location for patients. Jose Bailey, CHEC commercial director, said: ‘Patient choice, exceptional care and equity of access are central to CHEC’s operations and ethos, which is why we’re proud to collaborate with NHS partners nationwide, helping to keep waiting times to a minimum CHEC Ilford while delivering the very best quality of care.’ The Ilford hospital has one ophthalmology theatre and was now accepting ophthalmology referrals as part of efforts to help the NHS reduce waiting times by treating patients within four weeks. Diabetic retinopathy oral treatment trialled Copenhagen-based Breye Therapeutics announced the start of a phase 1b/2a clinical trial into the effectiveness of the oral drug danegaptide to treat diabetic retinopathy. Danegaptide targets ‘core pathological events’ including cell to cell uncoupling, apoptotic vascular cell death and vascular leakage at earlier stages of the disease. Safety data from 500 clinical trial participants, toxicology data and non-clinical in vitro and in vivo efficacy results, were said to validate danegaptide’s potential to address vascular leakage and capillary breakdown. Ulrik Mouritzen, CEO at Breye Therapeutics, said: ‘The clinical trial represents a significant milestone towards our mission of developing more effective, globally accessible, orally administered treatment solutions for patients at risk of vision loss.’ Researcher raises red light therapy concerns A University of Houston optometry researcher warned against using low-level red light (LLRL) therapy to control myopia as it could cause photochemical and thermal damage to the retina. Lisa Ostrin, associate professor at the UH College of Optometry, recommended clinicians to reconsider using LLRL therapy for myopia in children until safety standards were confirmed. ‘Based on measurements in our laboratory, we found the red-light instruments for myopia exceed safety limits. For both LLRL devices evaluated here, three minutes of continuous viewing approached or surpassed the luminance dose maximum permissible exposure, putting the retina at risk of photochemical damage,’ said Ostrin. 6 OPTICIAN 2 Februar y 2024 opticianonline.net
page 7
Twitter @opticianonline IN FOCUS High street optometr y will be leveraged by Labour Key sector figures respond to proposed Labour plans to harness the high street to reduce ophthalmology waiting times. Simon Jones reports UK optics has begun to have its say in response to the Labour Party’s plans to use high street optometry practices to deliver routine NHS ophthalmology outpatient appointments. At an Institute for Government conference on January 23, Labour shadow health minister Karin Smyth said high street optical practices would be ‘put to work’ by a Labour government to bring down the 617,000 people now waiting for NHS ophthalmology appointments. ‘There are 6,000 high street opticians in England, equipped with specialist staff and kit that can get patients seen faster,’ said Smyth. ‘We will put them to work to beat the Tory backlog, free up hospital specialists to treat the patients in serious need, all at greater convenience to patients. I can announce today, the next Labour government will seek to negotiate a deal with high street opticians to deliver NHS outpatient appointments.’ Labour’s plan for the high street optometric workforce was just one of the ways the party would use the private sector to make the NHS more efficient. As Optician went to press, the Labour party had not responded to its request for further information on the proposed plans. Professor Leon Davies, president, College of Optometrists ‘The College of Optometrists welcomes Labour’s proposed initiative to improve eye care delivery, while ensuring excellent patient care and Karin Smyth MP reducing unnecessary sight loss. Enhanced national services, that effectively utilise the full skills and competencies of optometrists and colleagues working in primary eye care, would reduce the burden on current NHS hospital services and result in better outcomes for patients. We encourage all health decision-makers to continue to engage with us and other professional bodies, to achieve a well-informed strategy for eye health care that ensures all patients in England can access care close to home and without long waits.’ Giles Edmonds, clinical ser vices director, Specsavers ‘NHS primary care optometrists are the “GPs of the eye” but there is so much more we could do to protect our patients’ sight, keep them safe and well, and take pressure off hospital services. ‘As a leading provider of NHS primary care ophthalmic services we welcome the Labour Party’s plan to make greater use of high street optometry services to cut opticianonline.net waiting lists and provide more accessible and convenient care for patients, and stand ready to partner with NHS hospital eye services to improve patient care.’ Adam Sampson, chief executive, Association of Optometrists ‘We welcome the Labour Party’s focus on primary eye care. We are facing a health crisis in this country. This includes a hospital waiting list emergency, with growing numbers of patients facing avoidable and irreversible sight loss due to delays. ‘Labour have quite rightly acknowledged the important role of primary eye care services in the community in reducing the backlog and we are committed to helping wherever we can to design services that meet demand and the needs of patients. ‘Fixing eye care does not require years of investment in new facilities and staff training. Optometrists on the high street have the premises, the equipment and the clinical skills to deliver accessible, highquality eye care. All it takes is the political vision to make sure optometry is able to provide the care patients need.’ Professor Ben Bur ton, president, Royal College of Ophthalmologists ‘Last year there were almost nine million ophthalmology outpatient attendances and 15 million NHS sight tests across the UK. With this demand set to grow even higher as our population ages, it is essential that ophthalmology and optometry are supported to deliver more integrated care. ‘While expanding ophthalmology infrastructure and workforce capacity is essential and must be prioritised, we should also be making better use of the existing expertise and facilities in high street optical practices to manage stable, chronic conditions. The Labour Party’s announcement today is therefore a positive commitment to supporting eye care patients and we would offer our clinical expertise to shape this policy if delivered in government.’ Harjit Sandhu, managing director, Federation of Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians ‘Hospital colleagues in ophthalmology are under unsustainable pressure and patients are suffering avoidable sight loss due to delays in care. Primary eye care providers are happy to help in any way we can to provide more care outside of hospital and closer to home. Working together we can meet growing patient needs in a more sustainable way and most importantly help prevent sight loss due to delays in care. ‘The national sight testing service is a vital part of the national public health infrastructure and one of the most efficient and successful parts of the NHS, which must be preserved. We all want to build on this solid foundation, making the best use of our highly skilled workforce and world-class primary eye care infrastructure. Now is the time to work together to ensure everybody in England can access the enhanced primary eye care services they need.’ • 2 Februar y 2024 OPTICIAN 7

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7 DAYS

ARU opens £1.9m Sensor y Sciences Centre facebook.com/opticianonline

Glyn Jones

Glyn Jones, 68, was driving an Audi A3, which hit Marie Cunningham, 79, and Grace Foulds, 85, while they were crossing the road in Southport in 2021, who later died from their injuries.

Jones failed a roadside eye test and had not notified the DVLA that he suffered from a severe eye condition that affected his eyesight and ability to drive safely.

He was jailed for seven years and fourth months, and banned from driving for nine years and 10 months after pleading guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

An expert optometrist who gave evidence during the case said Jones’ vision was well below the standard required for driving a vehicle, which he was informed of on several occasion by opticians and his G P.

The optometrist said: ‘His vision without any correction would have been so poor that he would not have managed to see the steering wheel of his vehicle clearly.’

US OOs experiencing burnout A survey commissioned by the American Academy of Optometrists found low a low level of depression among optometrists but a high level of burnout.

Bernadette Melnyk, vice president for health promotion and chief wellness officer at the Ohio State University, conducted a national wellness survey of 4,000 academy fellows.

She noted heavy alcohol consumption, particularly among women during Covid-19, and fellows struggling with fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity and sleep.

The study found that levels of depression and clinical anxiety

A new Sensor y Sciences Centre at Cambridge’s Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) launched on Januar y 24, including £1.9m of cutting-edge equipment, teaching and research space to suppor t optometr y, ophthalmic dispensing and audiology students.

Dr Helen Keyes, head of school at ARU, said: ‘Vision and hearing courses have now been taught at ARU in Cambridge for 30 years, and new equipment within the Sensor y Sciences Centre ensures that ARU remains at the cutting edge. This is a wonderful investment for our students and for the members of the public they will go on to ser ve.’

The Sensor y Sciences Centre, located at ARU’s Compass House on East Road, contains LED ophthalmoscopes, video slit lamps and a corneal topographer, allowing ARU students to hone their clinical skills prior to seeing patients in the university eye clinic.

Penny Barker, a patient at the university’s clinic was guest of honour and opened the centre, which coincided with the 30th anniversar y of ARU’s Vision and Hearing Sciences depar tment.

ARU also highlighted new courses for 2024 including a Masters degree in optometr y and a blended-learning ophthalmic dispensing undergraduate degree, which follow the recent successful introduction of the audiology degree apprenticeship course.

were low among optometrists but they also reported feeling burned out and experiencing a poor quality of life.

CHEC opens Ilford ophthalmology hospital Community Health and Eyecare (CHEC) opened its latest hospital in Ilford on Ilford Hill, which it said provided a central location for patients.

Jose Bailey, CHEC commercial director, said: ‘Patient choice, exceptional care and equity of access are central to CHEC’s operations and ethos, which is why we’re proud to collaborate with NHS partners nationwide, helping to keep waiting times to a minimum

CHEC Ilford while delivering the very best quality of care.’

The Ilford hospital has one ophthalmology theatre and was now accepting ophthalmology referrals as part of efforts to help the NHS reduce waiting times by treating patients within four weeks.

Diabetic retinopathy oral treatment trialled Copenhagen-based Breye Therapeutics announced the start of a phase 1b/2a clinical trial into the effectiveness of the oral drug danegaptide to treat diabetic retinopathy.

Danegaptide targets ‘core pathological events’ including cell to cell uncoupling, apoptotic vascular cell death and vascular leakage at earlier stages of the disease.

Safety data from 500 clinical trial participants, toxicology data and non-clinical in vitro and in vivo efficacy results, were said to validate danegaptide’s potential to address vascular leakage and capillary breakdown.

Ulrik Mouritzen, CEO at Breye Therapeutics, said: ‘The clinical trial represents a significant milestone towards our mission of developing more effective, globally accessible, orally administered treatment solutions for patients at risk of vision loss.’

Researcher raises red light therapy concerns A University of Houston optometry researcher warned against using low-level red light (LLRL) therapy to control myopia as it could cause photochemical and thermal damage to the retina.

Lisa Ostrin, associate professor at the UH College of Optometry, recommended clinicians to reconsider using LLRL therapy for myopia in children until safety standards were confirmed.

‘Based on measurements in our laboratory, we found the red-light instruments for myopia exceed safety limits. For both LLRL devices evaluated here, three minutes of continuous viewing approached or surpassed the luminance dose maximum permissible exposure, putting the retina at risk of photochemical damage,’ said Ostrin.

6 OPTICIAN 2 Februar y 2024

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