Michael Yapp, Centre for Eye Health chief staff optometrists and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT supporter Janis Salisbury in 2015 when the new collaborative centre opened

A collaborative clinic at the University of New South Wales Centre for Eye Health, where optometrists and ophthalmologists work side-by-side, is providing beneficial for glaucoma patients. A study of the clinic’s first 18 months, published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, showed patients waited 43 days on average for an appointment; most (51%) were diagnosed with glaucoma; 41% had suspected glaucoma requiring monitoring; 2% had a different optical neuropathy; and 6% had no eye disease.

“This new model of care has great potential to help with the challenge of assessing new, non-urgent outpatient referrals for glaucoma to public hospital ophthalmology within the four-month regulatory requirement,” said study co-author and ophthalmologist Dr Michael Hennessy.

The clinic is the first of its kind in Australia and was set up the Optometry Board of Australia and The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists agreed a framework and guidelines together.

“Although collaborative arrangements between ophthalmologists and optometrists for patients with glaucoma have existed in the past, our clinic is one of the first integrated clinics that allows in-house collaboration,” added study lead author Dr Barbara Zanger. “Results from the first 18 months of operation have justified the trust and vision needed to build this exceptional model with the two professions working side by side.”