Conditions imposed on optometrist

A locum optometrist at the Burton-on-Trent branch of Specsavers has had conditions imposed on him for eight months by the GOC after failing to diagnose that a patient was suffering from a detached retina.

The GOC fitness to practise committee hearing which took place on February 22 was told that Neil Carter informed the patient there was 'nothing wrong', but after further checks the detached retina was diagnosed by another optometrist and the patient had to have surgery on the eye.

Margaret Hallendorff, chair of the disciplinary hearing, said the panel was satisfied the conditions imposed would 'protect patients.'

Carter must make three attendances at a clinic in a hospital eye department, at least two of them retinal, and attend a university optometry department for a minimum of three two-hour sessions of one-to-one tuition including slit-lamp examination.