New study to improve referrals for patients with nerve swelling at the back of the eye
Press release issued:
Guidelines to speed up the diagnosis and treatment of patients with nerve swelling at the back of the eye, known as papilloedema, are being developed by researchers at the University of Bristol.
Papilloedema is caused by increased pressure inside the head and could be the first sign of a brain tumour. As 50% of people with a brain tumour have no symptoms, optometrists - eye care professionals who are trained to spot abnormalities and work at opticians - may be the first to notice a problem.
Optometrists often refer many people to hospital because the test results aren’t clear or they’re not sure how to interpret them. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded ‘Improving the Diagnostic accuracy of referrals for Papilloedema’ (DIPP) Study aims to address these problems by developing and evaluating a set of guidelines for GPs and optometrists to improve the accuracy of diagnostic referrals.
This study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research (project reference 581). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
About the Centre for Academic Primary Care
The Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC) at the University of Bristol is a leading centre for primary care research in the UK, one of nine forming the NIHR School for Primary Care Research. It sits within Bristol Medical School, an internationally recognised centre of excellence for population health research and teaching. Follow on Twitter: @capcbristol
