Verum writes: New kit brings benefits but good communication is essential

In practice last week, as I placed the phoropter head in front of an elderly patient, she commented on how much the eye examination had changed over the years. This was clearly prompted by the number of machines she had sat in front of and the tests she had undertaken. When I hear this type of comment from a patient, and it is something that patients will often remark on, I reflect on whether the eye examination has fundamentally changed over the years due to technology, and if so, is this all for the good?

Over the years there have been changes to many aspects of the examination. Autorefractor has replaced or at least used far more than retinoscopy, slit lamp indirect ophthalmoscopy and/or fundus camera instead of direct ophthalmoscopy. Computerised charts are used instead of the Snellen card on the wall, phoropter heads instead of trial frame∑ and lenses.