title: Demographics, referral patterns and management of patients accessing the Welsh Eye Care Service.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Primary Eyecare Acute Referral Service (PEARS) and the Wales Eye Health Examination (WEHE) operate as enhanced optometry services for patients residing in Wales, enabling the examination of a patient presenting with an acute eye problem (PEARS) or the examination of patients at higher risk of eye disease (WEHE). The purpose of the study is to assess the demographics of patients accessing these services, referral patterns and clinical management in one Health Board in Wales (Aneurin Bevan University Health Board).
  
  
  METHODS
  Information from 2302 patients accessing the services was prospectively collected. The following information was obtained: type of examination (PEARS or WEHE), patient age, gender, self-referral or general practitioner (GP) referral and clinical management (no further action, monitor by optometrist or ophthalmic medical practitioner [OMP], refer to the Hospital Eye Service [HES], or refer to GP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 1791 (77.8 %) PEARS examinations and 511 (22.2 %) WEHE. There were 1379 (59.9 %) females with a mean age of 58.61 (±19.75) and 923 (40.1 %) males with a mean age of 56.11 (±20.42). The majority of patients were self-referrals compared to GP-referrals (1793 [77.9 %] versus 509 [22.1 %] respectively). Sub-analysis indicated similar numbers of self-referrals compared to GP-referrals for the WEHE only (297 [58.1 %] versus 214 [41.9 %] respectively) but greater numbers of self-referrals for the PEARS examinations only (1496 [83.5 %] versus 295 [16.5 %] respectively). For management, 75 % of patients were monitored by their optometrist or OMP, 17 % required referral to the HES and 8 % required referral to their GP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher numbers of females accessed both PEARS and WEHE services and the majority of patients self-referred. These findings have important implications for public health campaigns both for targeting specific groups (e.g. male patients) and increasing awareness among GPs.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Wales, Floor 11, The Oldway Centre, 36 Orchard Street, Swansea, SA1 5AQ UK.
authors.forename: Colm
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McAlinden
authors.affiliation: Public Health Wales, Cwmbran House, Mamhilad Park Estate, Pontypool, Torfaen, NP4 0XS UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Corson
authors.affiliation: School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4 LU UK.
authors.forename: Nik
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sheen
authors.affiliation: Public Health Wales, Cwmbran House, Mamhilad Park Estate, Pontypool, Torfaen, NP4 0XS UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garwood
keywords: Primary eyecare assessment & referral service; Wales eye care services; Welsh eye care initiative; Welsh eye health examination