Preparation and the right environment can contribute to successful care

Viewers of the TV series “Downton Abbey” likely understand the importance of a proper table setting. Abbey staff followed strict rules to correctly place plates, glasses, centerpieces, etc., for formal meals. “A well-laid table hints of what is to come, like wrapping on a present,” write Stanley Ager and Fiona St. Aubyn in the book The Butler’s Guide to Running a Home and Other Graces.

While few other occasions require a butler, most can benefit from the right setting. The stage, sound system, lighting and placement of seats and tables can all influence whether a presentation “destroys” or “bombs” (think comedy club, for example).

STEPS TO PREPARE FOR DED CARE

In the “Practicing Medical Optometry” (PMO) section of Optometric Management this month, our expert contributors help you “set the table” for the care of dry eye disease (DED). This preparation needn’t be complicated, explain’s Tim Trinh, O.D., in his introduction (p.15). “In actuality, support staff, DED questionnaire, slit lamp and vital dyes. . . are all that is needed to start a clinic,” he writes.

Glenn S. Corbin, O.D., offers three steps to practical testing in “DED Diagnosis Simplified” (p.18). This opportunity is well “within the domain of the optometrist, who is the primary eye care provider,” notes Dr. Corbin.

As DED is a multifactorial condition, it “requires a multifactorial treatment approach for the best results,” says Selena McGee, O.D., in “DED Therapy Options” (p.24). Dr. McGee discusses available treatments, including advice on use and ideal patients for each option.

To manage DED efficiently, Jerry Robben, O.D., writes that staff can “help carry some of the DED load” in “Getting Staff DED Ready” (p.30). Starting with the optometrist’s education, Dr. Robben provides five tips to help a clinic provide effective care and stay on schedule.

Our commitment to DED coverage continues throughout this issue to include discussions on nutrition (Mile Brujic, O.D., p.40 and Laurie Capagno, O.D., p.50 ), “active” treatment (Jason R. Miller, O.D., p.44), intense pulsed light (Whitney Hauser, O.D., p.46), coding (April Jasper, O.D., p.48), and informed consent (Katie Spear, O.D., p.52). Our goal is to offer practical tools to help you develop the setting for an unmatched practice experience. OM