In the optometric profession, this time of year means we are nearing the end of conference season; however, we never stop collaborating, learning, educating, and striving to make ourselves better providers. We must stay ahead of the curve so that we can serve our patients to our best ability and deliver optimal outcomes.
A recent encounter with a long-time glaucoma patient reminded me of a 2019 study published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science that revealed that 88% of individuals ranked sight as their most valuable sense, far ahead of the other senses.1 This patient, a wonderful gentleman, was monocular due to advanced glaucoma. His biggest fear was losing sight in his good eye, and 5 years ago, I promised him I would do everything I could to preserve his vision for the rest of his life.
He recently learned he had terminal cancer and was told he had 6 months to live. His biggest fear after receiving the diagnosis was his eye pressure and how his visual field would look when he came in for his glaucoma checkup. Thankfully, all testing continued to be stable. I realized when he left my clinic that day, after we shared some tears and a handshake, that it wasn’t about what would inevitably happen in 6 months, but the fact that I was delivering on my promise from 5 years ago. The promise to preserve his sight, which gave him comfort.
In this issue of Modern Optometry, our authors focus on preserving sight—specifically when the retina doesn’t behave. There have been many advances in the management of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular disease, and uveitis. Our authors will have you ready to educate your patients, collaborate with ophthalmology, and, ultimately, keep your patients seeing. And what better companion to an issue on retina than a subfocus on imaging and diagnostics? Technologies such as OCT angiography and other imaging platforms are imperative to the early, accurate diagnosis of retinal disease, which sets the foundation for successful treatment.
As the meetings wind down and we approach the holidays, make time to recharge and refocus. All of us at Modern Optometry hope we have played even a small part in elevating your clinical care and helping to preserve the vision of your patients in 2024.
— Justin Schweitzer, OD, FAAO
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