The clinical value of working with optomap ultra-widefield (UWF™) multimodality retinal imaging with integrated SS (or SD) OCT was the topic of a recent webinar for healthcare professionals working in the ophthalmology space, hosted by Optos PLC.
Moderated by Anne Marie Cairns, Chief Clinical Officer at Optos, the webinar was attended by over 170 ophthalmologists and optometrists from the UK. The event provided an overview of key clinical indications for optomap UWF and SS OCT multimodality retinal imaging, which can allow clinicians to quickly capture and review images of up to 82% of the retina, and explored the benefits of implementing these imaging modalities into ophthalmology practices.
Four UK ophthalmology consultants, Mr Ayman Saeed, Mr Ashish Patwardhan, Mr Abdelsattar Farrag and Miss Vasuki Sivagnanavel, presented cases studies, interactively discussed their decision making and the advantages of UWF multimodality retinal imaging for clinical efficiency and patient satisfaction, and offered practical tips for ophthalmologists on how to effectively utilise optomap ultra-widefield with multimodality in their daily practice.
Mr Ayman Saeed, Hermitage Medical Clinic Dublin, discussed the usage of UWF multimodality retinal imaging in a private ophthalmology clinic. Mr Saeed noted that, following the introduction of nurse-led macular clinics in July 2022, utilising UWF imaging technology resulted in a 25% reduction in consultant visits over a 10-month period, which freed up clinic capacity to see a higher number of patients.
Mr Ashish Patwardhan, Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, explored the usage of UWF multimodality imaging in virtual diabetic retinopathy clinics, noting that through the introduction of digital surveillance his clinic had increased capacity by 50%.
Mr Abdelsattar Farrag, Royal Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, deliberated the use of UWF multimodality retinal imaging to manage uveitis. Mr Farrag emphasised that UWF imaging in patients with uveitis can aid diagnosis, monitoring and treatment decisions, and can pick up peripheral lesions which might be missed by other technologies.
Miss Vasuki Sivagnanavel, Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, discussed the role of UWF multi-modality retinal imaging in post-pandemic service recovery. Miss Sivagnanavel emphasised the need for clinics to work differently post-pandemic, arguing that imaging systems must quickly and easily provide clinicians with in-depth comprehensive information. Miss Sivagnanavel noted that, with the right technology and training, imaging activity can be delivered by a wide range of healthcare professionals, maximising the use of staffing resources and increasing service resilience. By implementing this approach with UWF imaging technology, Miss Sivagnanavel’s clinic cleared a backlog of over 2500 patients between July 2021 and October 2022.
Several polling questions were run during the webinar to gather insights from the audience on their usage and experience of UWF multi-modality imaging technology within their own clinical practice. The polling results showed that 53% of respondents have one or more Optos UWF devices in their clinics and 81% reported finding unexpected pathology in a patient without visual complaints whilst using the technology.
Speaking after the event, Mr Abdelsattar Farrag, Consultant and Uveitis Lead, Royal Bolton NHS Foundation Trust said: “the optomap ultra-widefield retinal imaging with integrated swept-source OCT, provided by the Optos Silverstone is transforming patient diagnosis and care, by identifying retinal abnormalities which would be missed by traditional imaging technologies. It is no exaggeration to say that this technology has become essential in the management of uveitis cases.”
Anne Marie Cairns, Chief Clinical Officer, Optos said: “We were delighted to host Mr Saeed, Mr Patwardhan, Mr Farrag and Miss Sivagnanavel for an insightful event to discuss the benefits our multimodality optomap® systems bring to their clinics. I am always thrilled to hear how our products such as Optos Silverstone, help to improve capacity, efficiency, and patient satisfaction when introduced into capacity-constrained clinics. At Optos, our goal remains to continue producing systems that help to diagnose patients in a timely and easy manner for both patients and the clinical staff”.
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