News & Views

Read the latest RCOphth news updates and guidance here.

News

NHS England Eye Care Planning and Implementation Guidance 2021-22

NHS England (NHSE) has published Eyecare Planning & Implementation guidance for this financial year (2021-2022). The guidance is for NHS Regions, Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) moving to Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), and NHS Trusts (hospital eye services). Read the Eye Care Planning Implementation Guidance 2021-22 Summary Annexe.  This new guidance is an annexe to NHS England’s main 2021/22 priorities and operational planning guidance already published in March 2021.

News

Safety Alert: Retinal vein occlusions post COVID vaccination

The College had considered the recent reports of an increased incidence of Central Venous Sinus Thrombosis (CVST) in the UK and anecdotal cases of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in the immediate period (28 days) subsequent to COVID vaccination. In view of this potential link, the College asks all UK ophthalmologists to consider reporting possible inoculation related cases to the MHRA using their reporting system.

News

Safety Alert: Boron additives in Chloramphenicol drops; should ophthalmologists be concerned?

Boric acid and disodium tetraborate are used as excipients in a number of medicines for their antimicrobial and buffering properties. Toxicity studies in rats identified that testicular toxicity leading to reduced fertility occurs at doses below that which result in damage to other organs. As a result, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended upper limits on the daily exposure to boron-containing excipients, expressed as equivalent doses of elemental boron. For children under 2 years, the limit is 1mg per day and for children aged 2-12 years, the limit is 3mg per day. (Reference: EMA/CHMP 619104/2013).

News

The Eye Care Digital Playbook – How digital technology is transforming ophthalmic service delivery Webinar 

The first of a series of a series of webinars about The Eye Care Digital Playbook was held on Monday 1st March. These webinars, held jointly between NHSX and The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, will look at how the eye care playbook can improve patient experience and directly help clinicians support their patients. 

Eye to Eye Podcast

Cerebral Visual Impairment and Functional Visual Loss

In this episode we have a conversation with Professor Gordon Dutton about Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) and Functional Visual Loss. Professor Dutton provides a step by step guide to managing patients with CVI and provides some invaluable pearls of wisdom for approaching patients with suspected functional visual deficits.

News

Ophthalmology and Optometry: Our vision for safe and sustainable patient eye care services in England during and beyond COVID-19

With the pandemic continuing to affect the way primary and secondary eye care services are provided for patients in England, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) and The College of Optometrists have developed a joint vision to support our workforce and the commissioning of safe and sustainable eye care services that meet the needs of all patients, improving patient care and outcomes during and beyond the pandemic.