Practitioners issued advice on Ebola threat

Optical practices have been issued with advice on Ebola virus disease by The College of Optometrists and Association of Optometrists.

It said the likelihood of imported cases was low, but that optometrists should remain vigilant for patients who have visited areas affected by Ebola and who develop unexplained illness. Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone were listed as the worst affected areas.

‘We recognise that it is extremely unlikely that you will encounter a patient with suspected VHF [viral haemorrhagic fever], but have been asked to provide advice for optometrists just in case this happens,’ the bodies said in a statement.

The full advice for optical professionals can be found here.