Review of Optometry

2 months ago | reviewofoptometry.com | Jack Persico

When you first identify a medical condition in a patient, you’re usually met with two strong emotions simultaneously: pride in your clinical acumen and, perhaps, anxiety over how to proceed. Suddenly, you’re on the hook to make a whole lot of judgment calls on the patient’s behalf. Should they begin therapy? If so, with what? How soon and how often should they be seen for follow-up? What criteria should you use to gauge success or failure of the treatment?

Mar 15, 2025 | reviewofoptometry.com | Catlin Nalley

Myopia is on the rise globally, with projections indicating that half of the world’s population will be affected by 2050. As prevalence increases, so does the need for specialized care to slow its progression and mitigate long-term ocular health risks. Optometrists who embrace myopia management have a unique opportunity to address a growing public health challenge while expanding their clinical expertise and practice offerings through evidence-based interventions that make a lasting impact.

Mar 15, 2025 | reviewofoptometry.com | Jack Persico

Another day, another Ozempic article. Ever since last summer, when JAMA Ophthalmology published worrisome findings showing an increased risk of NAION in patients using semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, additional studies have been coming fast and furious—and they often contradict each other. Here’s a timeline to catch you up. In July 2024, Harvard researchers published an observational study involving 555 patients taking semaglutide for either weight loss or diabetes.

Feb 15, 2025 | reviewofoptometry.com | Catlin Nalley

Specialty care plays a critical role in the evolving field of optometry. As primary eyecare providers, optometrists are in a position to identify and address complex visual and ocular health issues that can strongly impact patients’ lives. Developing a niche specialty enhances the level of care provided and helps build a practice that stands out.

Feb 15, 2025 | reviewofoptometry.com | Jack Persico

Looking back through the array of topics we explored in last month’s special issue on trends and transformations in optometry, I see many threads of conversation worth continuing this year and beyond. Some are a given. Scope of practice expansion is rewriting optometry’s mandate, bringing in new responsibilities for ODs to address and absorb. We’d be remiss if we didn’t track it further.