title: Why are new patients coming to the eye clinic? An analysis of the relative frequencies of ophthalmic disease amongst new patients attending hospital eye clinics in two separate locations.
abstract: We have analysed 64,417 patient-attendances by 56,409 patients to a dedicated ophthalmic new patient service to assess the demographic and epidemiological parameters of this population. Forty-three point five per cent were male and 56.5% female. Nine per cent of patients were under 16 years of age while 27.5% were over 70 years. Comparison of patients attending an outreach new patient clinic with that at the main hospital showed that a higher proportion of patients under 16 years were seen at the outreach clinic (p < 0.001), whereas the main clinic saw a higher proportion of patients in the 16-69 year age group (p < 0.001).
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Claoué
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Foss
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cooling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D017678:Sex Distribution