title: Quality of optometry referrals to neovascular age-related macular degeneration clinic: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the quality of referrals to a neovascular age-related macular degeneration clinic from optometrists using the standard Rapid Access Referral Form (RARF) from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study. Prospective data were gathered from all optometry referrals using the RARF, between the periods of December 2006 to August 2009. These were assessed for accuracy of history, clinical signs and final diagnosis as compared to a macula expert.
  
  
  METHODS
  Highlands NHS Trust.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients referred to the eye department at NHS Highlands Trust using the RARF.
  
  
  METHODS
  The symptoms of neovascular age-related macular degeneration correctly identified by optometrists, and the signs of neovascular age-related macular degeneration correctly identified by optometrists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-four RARFs were received during this period, there was an overall agreement with symptomatology in 57.4% of cases. Optometrists scored less well in recognizing the clinical signs of neovascular age-related macular degeneration, with the poorest scores for recognizing macular oedema (44.4%) and drusen (51.9%). Twenty (37%) patients referred had neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RARFs make up the minority of referrals to the neovascular age-related macular degeneration clinic. Optometrists find it difficult to accurately elicit the signs of macula disease.
authors.affiliation: Highland NHS Trust , Inverness, Scotland , UK.
authors.forename: Wisam J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Muen
authors.forename: Simon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hewick