Moneo writes: Forging links

One of the difficulties that commonly faces optometric clinicians is the interpretation of patient images obtained via various imaging devices.

There are a number of forums available to optometrists where they can upload their retinal images for a peer-to-peer opinion as to what it is they are looking at and what they should do regarding their patient.

While these peer-to-peer forums can be very good and very helpful, quite often the outcome is that the patient gets referred anyway. Now this may be a good thing but the question often arises as to just why the referral is being made and is it being made just to cover the back of the clinician?