Technological revolution

For all eye care professionals, the advancement of practice technology has dramatically changed their approach to daily workplace tasks.

The work carried out by optometrists is subject to seemingly ever increasing technological development and augmentation. So which changes have been most significant in terms of revolutionising the optometrist role?

‘Over the course of my career, although many will say various types of retina imaging, I’d have to say that database networks are the big underlying change,’ says Nick Rumney, an independent IP optometrist practising in Hereford. ‘We always had imaging – slit lamp and fundus – but no means of indexing them. Digital databases have led to CNC controlled manufacture; ophthalmic freeform lenses and contact lenses, indexing of patient records, communication with colleagues, you name it.’