No Room for Error with Ear and Eye Exams

By Kylie Gilberg, Marketing Manager

One of the most basic parts of a primary care visit is the ear and eye exam. It seems simple enough, but there is more room for error than you might think. In fact, 47 percent of clinicians encounter diagnostic errors at least monthly.

At present at least 2.2 billion people around the world have a vision impairment, of whom at least 1 billion have a vision impairment that could have been prevented or is yet to be addressed, according to the World Report on Vision by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Missing something subtle during the exam phase can have a tremendous impact on diagnosis, treatment and ultimately the outcome. Misdiagnoses and missed diagnoses happen for many reasons—one of the less obvious being the instruments used.

As healthcare continues to shift toward improving patient outcomes, providers are rethinking the importance of using the latest diagnostic instrument technologies for the early detection and monitoring of disease management treatments.

To detect variations in anatomical structures such as diabetic retinopathy, providers have to be able to see them clearly. A clear, well illuminated view is critical to make accurate diagnoses. The instruments used can impact the quality of the exam and the accuracy of the diagnosis.

Did you know that August is National Eye Exam Month? This month—and all year long—we encourage you to look for ways to eliminate errors and inconsistencies in your practice that may be impacting your patients.

A few operating procedures that provide the opportunity for error include:

• Cornea reflections impact the ability to get a full clear image of the fundus at one time
• Dust specs enter unsealed equipment and obstruct the view
• Lack of proper magnification can cause providers to miss fine details when diagnosing
• Poor color rendering and color inaccuracies can lead to misinterpretation of tissue color, impacting the quality of the diagnosis

   

See clearly, diagnose with confidence and provide your patients with the care they deserve. Learn more about available products from Midmark and HEINE.