NZAO - New Zealand Association of Optometrists: Interesting Stuff

Interesting Stuff

GP's & Primary Eye Care - NZAO Newsletter for GP's

Resources

How the eye works
Build a box eye
Lighting advice
Eye facts or Eye fiction
Colour contrast booklet
See more about eye diseases

Driving

Statistics show that one driver in five has a vision defect which may affect driving performance.

Just as your car needs regular checks to ensure that it is functioning normally, your eyes need examining to ensure that your vision meets the LTSA eyesight standards. Most drivers can reach the standard necessary for safe driving with spectacles or contact lenses. …. read more

Good Light Adds Vision

Eyes adapt to different levels of light very well. From the brightest light on a sunny day to the extremely low levels of light at night, we can still see. This pamphlet provides information about glare, the correct positioning of lights and the impact of poor lighting on your vision.

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GP Referral Form

send your patient to an optometrist for a comprehensive eye examination. ... GP – Optometrist Px referral form

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NZAO Newsletters For GP's

The Primary Eye Care Newsletter is regulartly circulated to General Practitioners', it contains interesting case studies and information relevant to a GP's practice.

Survey shows NZ'rs have poor knowledge of threats to eye health and vision. Awareness & knowledge is critical prerequisite for motivating behaviours.
...Read more on - 'Survey shows NZ's poor knowledge of threats' in GPQ28

The amount of blindness due to cataract, as compared to eye diseases is about 5% in North America. But cataract is a condition of age and studies have demonstrated the increased incidence of cataract with increasing age.
... Read more on - 'Health of the older person: Cataract' in GPQ27

Request an optometrists comprehensive eye examin report. A complete examination of the eyes can provide information about risk and presence of a range of general diseases.
...Read more on - 'Reducing Blindness-Improving Vision' in GPQ26

A 49 year old male patient presents with a sudden painless loss of vision. He has worn glasses since in primary school and is highly myopic. He has not had an ocular examination in the last 10 years as he did not feel he needed one.
...Read more on - 'Fear of height good for eyes!' in GPQ25

Ten key objectives for Save Our Sight month in September 2009.
...Read more on - 'Healthy People ~ Healthy Eyes' in GPQ24

There’s good evidence from around the world that even a mild reduction in vision to less than 6/12 has a significant impact on social isolation and healthy aging.
...Read more on - 'Seeing well - Being well' in GPQ 23

Patient reports loss of vision and also has severe pain in the neck, upper back and arms, worse at night.
...Read more on - 'Loss of vision, right eye' in GPQ22

Save Our Sight - Fast facts for eye health.
...Read more on - 'SOS Campaign 2008' in GPQ21

A 49 year old patient presentd to the optom for a routine eye exam with main symptom being presbyopia.
...Read more on - 'Glaucoma: Optometry case study' in GPQ20

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Health of the older person. Blindness from acute angle-closure glaucoma can result in as little as 1 or 2 days.
...Read more on - 'Glaucoma' in GPQ19

Good diet is essential to a healthy visual system. The notion that healthy eating may be beneficial to eye health is still not commonly recognised.
...Read more on - 'Healthy diet for healthy eyes' in GPQ18

Save Our Sight month is held in August every year, to increase awareness of the need for regular eye examinations.
...Read more on - 'SOS campaign 2006' in GPQ17

Some optometrical patients have significant associated systemic disease.
... Read more on - 'Broken glasses and much more' in GPQ16

Poor vision is far more common in our community than most people realise. A mild reduction in vision significantly impacts health.
... Read more on - 'Poor vision is bad for your health' in GPQ15

Dry eye conditions affect a significant number of people.
...Read more on - 'Quick guide to dry eye' in GPQ14

The key to managing red eye is making the correct diagnosis in a timely fashion.
...Read more on - The red eye in GPQ13

Epiphora; so diagnosis of the problem is easy, right?
...Read more on - 'The watery eye' in GPQ12

Sight loss is not a routine part of old age.
...Read more on - 'Sight loss and old age' in GPQ11

Why order an eye test for your patient? Optometrists can assist the GP's diagnosis.
...Read more on - 'Eye test for your patient' in GPQ10

Eye pressure and glaucoma; the relationship is not simple. 3% of people over 35 have vision threatened by glaucoma.
...Read more on - 'Eye pressure & Glaucoma' in GPQ9

Diabetic retinal photo-screening. The Wellington screening model is a world class programme achieving well ahead of targets.
...Read more on - 'Diabetic retinal screening' in GPQ8

Macular Degeneration; what can be done?
...Read more on - 'ARMD' in GPQ7

Visual Fields analysis alerts GP to cancer progression.
...Read more on - 'VF analysis alerts GP' in GPQ6

The primary care strategy, diabetes and the aging population.
...Read more on 'Diabetes & aging' in GPQ5

Contact lenses and their problems. What sort of CL problems present nowadays?
...Read more on - 'Contact lenses & their problems' in GPQ4

Some strange eye conditions that patients just might present.
...Read more on - 'Strange eye conditions' in GPQ3

Acquired brain injury and resulting visual problems, although common, are often overlooked during initial treatment.
...Read more on - 'Brain injury & vision' in GPQ2

Optometrits can provide GP's with an effective screening programme for any patients being referred.
...Read more on - 'Optometry and the GP' in GPQ1

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Resources

How the Eye works

A simple explanation on how the eye works. This document may also be a useful teaching aid in conjunction with the EyeBox project. ... How the Eye works

Project - Build a Box Eye

Build a model to demonstrate how the eye sees things. This is a fun project for children aged 10-14 and maybe even older! ... 'H ow to build a box eye'

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Lighting Advice

Lighting for low vision, general room lighting comes from fittings anchored in the ceiling, and as a result light may be compramised by shadows created. ... Read more

Eye Facts or Eye Fiction

It's important to seperate facts from fiction, espically when the topic is eyesight. Knowing how to take good care of you eye is ... Read more on 'Eye facts or fiction'

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