New AMD guidelines aim to improve referrals in New Zealand

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) launched its age-related macular degeneration (AMD) management guidelines, tailored to New Zealand, at its annual conference in Auckland.

The guidelines provide an evidence-based resource for optometrists, GPs and other health care professionals that outlines referral and treatment best practice for managing the care of patients with, or suspected of having, AMD, said RANZCO in a public statement. “AMD is one of the biggest causes of vision loss and blindness in New Zealand, but with early diagnosis and effective treatment and management, vision loss may be halted.”

Auckland retina and AMD specialist Dr Dianne Sharp led the development of the New Zealand-specific guidelines through consultation with AMD sub-speciality groups, other ophthalmologists and several eye healthcare groups to ensure the guidelines were practical, effective and efficient, said RANZCO. “The end result is an invaluable best practice resource, that will enable planning and resourcing in District Health Board (DHB) eye departments for these common and increasingly prevalent eye conditions.”

The AMD guidelines are part of a series of eye care referral and management guidelines that RANZCO is developing, initially for AMD, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, to support best practice across Australia and New Zealand. In July 2016, it launched the first of these, its Australian referral guidelines on glaucoma management, initially to some criticism from Optometry Australia, unhappy to have been left out of the consultation process (see Feb 2017’s NZ Optics). Two further referral pathways for diabetic retinopathy and AMD in Australia, were then released just prior to the RANZCO 2016 conference in Melbourne to coincide with training on the guidelines for invited Australian optometrists and GPs at the meeting.

The New Zealand AMD Management Guidelines launched at this year’s New Zealand Branch meeting, though based on the Australian guidelines, have been specifically modified for the New Zealand health system to meet the needs of New Zealand’s DHBs and specific problems, such as the current backlogs, said Dr Brian Kent-Smith, New Zealand Branch chair. “The guidelines are designed to help improve collaboration between ophthalmologists, eyecare professionals and DHBs to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients who have potential AMD.” 

“The guidelines are being made available to all optometrists and GPs and we are eager to keep receiving feedback from those who use the guidelines so that we can continue to build on and improve the management guidelines,” added RANZCO president, Associate Professor Mark Daniell. “These guidelines do not favour, and are not dependent upon, any particular practice referral system or methodology. They simply provide a resource which lays out a suggested referral or management pathway if certain signs and or symptoms are identified. The aim is to ensure patients receive the best care possible, in the most appropriate timeframe and from the appropriate health care provider.”

RANZCO is expected to release the New Zealand version of its glaucoma referral guidelines shortly, following consultation with the New Zealand Association of Optometrists.