I was invited to speak about optometry at The Allied Network’s inaugural conference on Saturday 6th April. There was a great line-up of speakers, with the professions of dietetics, exercise physiology, physiotherapy, psychology and social work being represented. Other speakers included an accountant, business coach, marketing experts and a mindset coach.

I had 15 minutes to address a diverse range of health professionals, and was asked to give insights about what an optometrist does, which practitioners an optometrist might refer patients to, and which professionals might want to refer patients to an optometrist.

As you can see, I tend to find that the most common reason an optometrist will refer a patient to a GP is for blood tests. This is because sometimes there can be ocular signs of general health conditions such as hyperthyroidism and diabetes, which can be confirmed with blood testing. An optometrist will generally refer to an ophthalmologist if they come across a patient who needs surgery or another significant treatment, or monitoring of an eye condition.

Optometrists working in low vision clinics are generally working alongside a social worker or occupational therapist. There are many other opportunities for cross-referrals between optometrists and other health professionals. To name a few examples, a multi-disciplinary team may be required to assist people who have diabetes, cerebral palsy, arthritis or following a stroke.