Hospital OOs look to future

More than 140 delegates attended the Association of Optometrists' event at Eynsham Hall, Oxford, to hear keynote addresses from a panel of principal and senior optometrists from hospitals nationwide. In his report as conference chairman, Chris Steele, principal optometrist at Sunderland Eye Infirmary, said hospital optometry was the interface between the optometric and ophthalmic professions. 'Optometry needs to position itself and be recognised as the primary eye care provider,' he said. 'In the future, hospital optometrists are likely to play an increasingly important role working alongside ophthalmologists as part of a multi-disciplinary team in the provision of high quality co-managed patient care.' Other key conference speakers included: Adrian Hill, principal optometrist at Oxford Eye Hospital - 'Predicting outcomes in low vision'; Robert Harper, principal optometrist at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital - 'Assessing evidence about diagnostic tests - a health warning'; and Lisa Collins, senior optometrist at the Oxford Eye Hospital - 'The future of hospital optometry'.