The service, called an Ophthalmic Diagnostic and Treatment Centre (ODTC), was conceived with a view to reducing waiting times for the management of people with stable glaucoma and ocular hypertension; to improve patient satisfaction by delivering a more flexible service that was closer to home; to improve service uptake and reduce non-attendance at secondary care glaucoma clinics.
The pilot study was designed to provide a service for people aged over 40 who live in an area of high socioeconomic deprivation within the Rhondda Valley in Wales.
The service, located in a local community hospital, was originally designed to be led by a specialist nurse managing a team of technicians. Over time the service evolved to be optometry-led.
This pilot project found that the optometry-led Ophthalmic Diagnostic and Treatment Centre (ODTC) for glaucoma reduced waiting times and increased patient satisfaction with patients less likely to travel by car to their appointment and incurring less cost than patients in the comparison group.
Patients attending the ODTC generally had to attend fewer appointments compared to those attending consultant-led ophthalmology outpatient clinics because visual field tests were conducted at the ODTC during the one appointment alongside other tests and examinations.
