This episode of Talking Optics looks at Age-related Macular Degeneration from three different angles. 

Dr Rebekka Heitmar, Reader in Optometry and Vision Sciences, Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, is the first guest. She explains how AMD can impact a patient’s quality of life, coming to terms with an AMD diagnosis and how primary care optometrists can support patients and potentially gain more job satisfaction. 

Next, we chat with the Chief Executive of the Macular Society, Cathy Yelf about what the charity does to help those with macular conditions and the research it finds into finding new treatments to manage AMD. 

Lastly, Macular Support Group leader Julie Parker explains how it feels to be diagnosed with AMD and how it impacts her everyday life.

This episode Talking Optics is sponsored by the Practice Plus Group   

Founded as Care UK in 1982 and rebranded as Practice Plus Group in 2020, we’re proud to provide a wider range of specialist care than any other private healthcare organisation in the UK.

We treat NHS and private patients, and work out of several specialist locations around the UK. Our services include hospitals and surgical centres, GP practices, NHS walk-in centres, GP out-of-hours, prison healthcare, and diagnostic facilities. We also pride ourselves on delivering one of the country’s leading ophthalmology services and run a number of NHS 111 call centres.

With more than one million patients assessed, diagnosed, and treated by Practice Plus Group every year, we’re proud to count ourselves as one of the leading healthcare providers in the UK.

For more information about Practice Plus Group and our Ophthalmology service please visit: https://practiceplusgroup.com/?utm_source=opticiansmag&utm_medium=biopage&utm_campaign=eye&utm_term=amd

Talking Optics hosts British Contact Lens Association President Neil Retallic to talk all things contact lenses. Neil and Optician editor Simon Jones talk about and range of subjects, including how the BCLA responded to the challenges posed by the pandemic, the growth of myopia management and whether there needs to be tighter regulation on sales of contact lenses over the internet.

Thanks to episode sponsor, ASDA Opticians

Visit https://www.opticianonline.net for independent news, features and CPD 

Until recently, a patient getting a prescription for spectacles or contact lenses on the internet was only something to worry about in the future. But online refraction is very much of the here and now, so Optician decided it was only right to hear from those that are driving the digital movement.

Dutch firm easee has perhaps the most complete system on the market and the company's founder, Yves Prevoo, told Talking Optics about the system and how it might fit into a patient journey that's based more and more online.

Thanks to episode sponsor, Spec Care https://www.speccareservices.co.uk

Visit https://www.opticianonline.net for independent news, features and CPD 

And visit https://www.easee.online/en/ to try digital refraction for yourself 

When it comes to sustainability, the optical industry has been slower than many in mobilising its response. But that's changing. Sustainable production, carbon footprint reduction, environmentally friendly materials are all part of the landscape.
In this episode, we talk to three different optical businesses to get a broader view of the challenges they're facing and the solutions being introduced.
Millmead Optical Group talks about how it approaches sustainability across three different parts of its business, optometrist Simon Berry tells us how he considers ethical suppliers and Sea2see explains how it began to create eyewear from recycled marine plastic.

Thanks to episode sponsor, Spec Care https://www.speccareservices.co.uk

Visit https://www.opticianonline.net for independent news, features and CPD 

A presence on social media platforms is almost essential for any practice or optical business.  Get it right and you'll see likes and retweets galore, but getting it wrong can mean damaging the reputation of the practice.
To help you navigate these choppy waters, Talking Optics has enlisted the help of social media consultant Paul Sutton to run through the dos and don'ts.
Then, we talk to back-to-back winners of the Social Media Practice of the Year 2020/2021 at The Optician Awards, Urquhart Opticians. Company managing director Peter Telfer and marketing executive Yvette Brown talk listeners through the company's social media journey and how an award-winning strategy was developed.

Thanks to episode sponsor, Marcolin Eyewear
https://www.marcolin.com/en

Paul Sutton
https://paulsutton.co

Urquhart Opticians
https://urquhart-opticians.co.uk

Visit https://www.opticianonline.net for independent news, features and CPD

Talking Optics sits down with Pearse Keane, a leading figure in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in eye care and a consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital.

The rate of evolution of AI in eyecare has increased significantly in recent years and the technology is being rolled out in screening programmes around the world. The episode explores how AI is currently used, how it may be applied in the future and how the eye care sector needs to prepare.

But AI's amazing power also raises questions in clinical decision making - a topic that we also explore with Pearse. 

Pearse's recommended AI reading 

Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans
Melanie Mitchell
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07YBHNM1C/?coliid=I2H1HC5TPMD6X&colid=GHH4RNXORWGU&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again
Eric Topol
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1541644638/?coliid=IJ1HZ0S4QRC9Z&colid=GHH4RNXORWGU&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Talking Optics interviews Dawn Slocombe and Kayleigh Turnbull from specialist consumer mediator, the Optical Consumer Complaints Service (OCCS), to find out about some of the unusual patient complaints they have dealt with. Kayleigh and Dawn also offer advice to practice staff to help improve mediation skills so patient complaints can be handled appropriately before they escalate.

Editor Simon Jones and features and education manager Mike Hale also look at some of the recent optical sector news. 

More information on the work carried out by the OCCS can be found here https://www.opticalcomplaints.co.uk 

Visit https://www.opticianonline.net for independent news, features and CET