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Ophthalmic Clinic
At the ophthalmic sessions held at Becontree Clinic twice a week by Dr. Macfarlane
and Dr. Regal, a total of 1,536 children were seen, of which 363 attended for the first
time. The following is a report of their work submitted by the doctors:—
Patients are referred to us mainly by the school medical officer after the routine
examination at school, some are sent from the infant welfare clinics, a few are sent by
their family doctor, and in a number of cases the parents approach the clinic on their
own initiative. We also find that in some instances it is the teacher who sets the ball
rolling, mentioning to the parents any abnormal behaviour in the child which makes it
seem advisable that the child's eyes should be examined.
New cases referred to the clinic are usually seen within a fortnight or so, but there
is an accumulation of old cases needing to be seen again, and it is difficult to keep up
with the ideal of 6-monthly visits. An additional weekly clinic is necessary if these
retests are to be kept up to date.
For three months during 1959 the clinic was held at Five Elms while the premises
at Becontree Avenue were being redecorated, but this did not affect the average attendance
per clinic. Each week there are parents and children who fail to attend, without
any reason being given, and this is very frustrating both to the nurse and to the
ophthalmologist.
In the course of the year we see all types of congenital abnormalities of the eyes as
well as acute and sub-acute pathological conditions, but the majority of cases are those
with refractive errors and with squints. Squint cases needing operation can now be
referred either to Oldchurch Hospital or to King George V Hospital, where beds can
be found for them almost at once.
In one of the clinics at which 213 new cases were seen, 125 required glasses and 13
were sent on to an orthoptic department for exercises as part of their squint treatment.
Of the remaining 627 old cases, new glasses were prescribed for 256 children and 9
children had the lenses altered, using the old frames.
We feel that there is still a need for a dispensing optician to attend at the clinic as
many broken glasses could then be repaired on the spot and prescriptions could be dealt
with more quickly. This has been proposed to the Regional Hospital Board, but so far
with no success.
We wish to mention the arduous work of the school nurses who attend the clinics
and do all the visiting necessary to supply new cases with mydriatrics and to follow up
non-attendance.
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