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Seek opportunities to expand your dry eye management skills
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 Michael D. DePaolis |
It is often said that dry eye and optometry go hand in hand. This is for good reason, as every aspect of dry eye is well suited for optometric care.
For starters, dry eye affects a wide demographic of individuals typically seen in primary care optometric practices. Dry eye is also known to exacerbate ocular allergy as well as increase an individual’s risk for conjunctivitis – two conditions commonly treated by optometrists. Additionally, dry eye is one of the most common reasons for contact lens intolerance, a scenario well understood by optometrists. Finally, dry eye affects vision, occasionally obscuring outcomes in our LASIK and premium IOL patients. In short, optometrists are very familiar with the many facets of dry eye.
Perhaps, however, the most important reason dry eye meshes so well with optometry lies in the nature of the disease. It is a condition in which there is often a disconnect between patient symptoms and subjective findings. From a practitioner’s perspective, diagnosing and managing dry eye requires a thorough, committed and patient approach. Who is better suited to this endeavor than optometrists? As providers, we listen carefully, are empathetic and are willing to systematically – and patiently – implement various treatments. As we all know, these are the keys to successfully caring for dry eye patients.
Given our natural fit with dry eye, how can we be sure we are staying abreast of the latest developments? For starters, pursue continuing education and read publications such as Primary Care Optometry News.
However, if you want to take your skills to the next level, I would suggest joining the Ocular Surface Society of Optometry (OSSO). This consortium of optometric clinicians, academicians and industry researchers provides the latest information on every aspect of dry eye. While OSSO’s primary mission is one of providing an educational forum for its members, it also serves to promote awareness of optometry’s role in dry eye research and care.
If you are not already a member, just visit www.ossopt.com. I am confident that you – like me – will find it to be an excellent resource in accentuating your role as a dry eye clinician.