Ophthalmoscopy is Way to Diagnosis

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the basic knowledge and skills of doctors regarding ophthalmoscopy, working in tertiary care hospital, dealing mostly with patients having systemic diseases which can affect the retina.

Methodology: Quantitative cross sectional study was conducted in Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad. Workshop has been conducted for medical post graduate trainees and few of the faculty members by ophthalmology department to promote learning of direct ophthalmoscopy and to create awareness about systemic diseases leading to retinal diseases. Pre workshop basic information about direct ophthalmoscopy was gathered through a questionnaire after obtaining consent of the participants. Data response was saved and evaluated in terms of percentages of responses. Excel sheet in SPSS version 25 were used to calculate the result. Percentages were calculated for every question evaluating ophthalmoscopy skill and need for making diagnosis.

Results: 46 participants attended the workshop 36 were male and 10 were female. 32 participants (69 %) agreed to have basic knowledge of ophthalmoscopy, but 65 % mentioned that they said that they can not perform distant direct ophthalmoscopy. In addition 61 % of participants responded that they can not perform near direct ophthalmoscopy and 71 % of participants responded with No option for focusing the disk. All these numbers suggest that direct ophthalmoscopy skills were not good enough for most of the participants. 90% of participants responded that they are not able to pick major pathologies e.g. DR and HTN.

Conclusion: Direct ophthalmoscopy is simple and important skill to be learned for improves clinical practices. This is much underused tool, which can help a lot to make diagnosis and manage accordingly in time. Every medical student should know the basic skills of ophthalmoscopy to make him/her a better future physician.  

Keywords: DR (diabetic retinopathy), HTN (Hypertension), DM (Diabetes mellitus), association of university professor in ophthalmology (AUPO)