Campaign aims to improve GP-optometrist relations

After launching the Good Vision for Life consumer awareness campaign last month, OA now plans to target GPs.Through a new advertising and awareness campaign, OA will aim to provide GPs with a deeper understanding of the scope of optometrists’ practice and how they can work closely with GPs to create a complete picture of patient eye health.The campaign’s main message will be the optometrists’ role and expertise in the diagnosis and managent of specific eye-health issues. While the Good Vision for Life campaign is aimed at raising awareness among consumers of the role of optometrists, the GP campaign supports this by reinforcing these messages at a professional level, an OA report explained.Both campaigns were introduced following a consumer survey conducted by OA in July this year, which showed that 69% of the 1,049 respondents would seek a GP’s advice if they were experiencing excessive eye watering, redness, pain or discharge compared to 12% who would first contact an optometrist.Similarly, 48% indicated they would contact a GP first for loss of vision, sensitivity to light, blurriness or double vision, compared to 25% who would initially contact an optometrist. We want to highlight to GPs that optometrists have the expertise and equipment needed to help th better understand the health of their patients’ eyes, whether it is a patient presenting with general eye or vision issues, red or inflamed eyes, or diabetes, OA national policy manager Ms Kirsty Machon was cited as saying.OA noted that more details would be released in the lead-up to the campaign’s launch.