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Strive for wellness with preventive care
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LAS VEGAS – A trio of presenters here at Vision Expo West stressed the importance of prevention vs. the traditional disease-oriented approach to patient care.
“Tertiary care is where we are today: see the signs and symptoms and treat,” Jack Schaeffer, OD, told attendees at the symposium, which was co-sponsored by Primary Care Optometry News.
“Secondary prevention is early detection,” he continued. “Primary prevention is what we’re all aiming for. We need to start early enough so patients don’t get into trouble.”
Scot Morris, OD, and Marc Bloomenstein, OD, joined Schaeffer in addressing a preventive approach to ocular surface disease (OSD).
“When a patient calls my office and says their vision is not clear, I say that’s an ocular surface disease problem,” Bloomenstein said. “Blurred vision is a symptom of being dry.”
Bloomenstein sees patients as the director of optometric services at a laser center.
“Our goal is to help people keep and maintain the best quality of vision,” he said. “Stabilization of the tear film is something we should start with earlier.”
“Every patient needs an OSD work-up before you refer them for surgery,” Schaeffer said. “The ophthalmologist is looking for that.”
Morris said clinicians need to ask the right questions for patients who believe they are seeing you only for glasses or contact lenses.
Most of your adult patients are taking at least one of these: antihistamines, anti-anxiety agents, hormone replacement therapy, oral corticosteroids, antidepressants or diuretics.
“These all increase the risk of dry eye,” Schaeffer said.
“We have to look for risk factors,” Bloomenstein added. “If you’re female and you’re wearing contact lenses and you’re over 40, you’re at risk for dry eye. Don’t wait for your patients to say their eyes are dry. Wellness is keeping our patients content, well and happy.”
He said he evaluates the ocular surface of all patients who come to his cataract and refractive surgery center.
“We talk to them early on, asking if they ever have to blink to see better or if they ever reach for tears,” he said.
Morris said he asks all patients if they see as well as they would like to see.
“I want people to see well,” he said. “Will that drive them away from our business if they’re healthy? No, people know that you care and will come back.”
Schaeffer urged attendees to develop an OSD protocol, understand how to medically bill for it and create a separate exam for the OSD work-up.
“Don’t do it as part of a managed care exam; do it as a medical work-up,” he said.
Schaeffer also noted the importance of staff involvement.
“It’s hard to practice wellness if you’re doing the talking,” he said. “You have to have videos, technicians and good assistants.”
Morris stressed the importance of taking the time to train your staff.
“Your staff is your biggest advocate or biggest detriment,” he said. “Incentivize your staff. They’re the ones building your practice.” – by Nancy Hemphill, ELS, FAAO
Disclosures: No products or companies are mentioned that would require financial disclosure.