Revised state-wide referral criteria for glaucoma have been issued in Victoria.

Statewide referral criteria are standardised, consensus thresholds for referral to specialist clinics in public hospitals for high volume or clinically important presenting problems.

Optometry Australia (OA), summarising the Victorian glaucoma criteria, said referrals in scope include for the management of advanced glaucoma and for unstable, progressive glaucoma, as well as acute angle closure.

Referrals that are not appropriate are requests for the diagnosis or ongoing management of glaucoma suspects, ocular hypertension or stable early and moderate glaucoma.

It is still legally required that optometrists provide a referral to an ophthalmologist or ophthalmology service within four months of diagnosing glaucoma and keep a record of this referral.

“If glaucoma diagnosis and management is not within your current scope of practice or there are cases you are unsure about and the patient has not yet seen an ophthalmologist, then you must ensure that the patient is referred to another practitioner that can provide appropriate care,” OA said on its website.

“We encourage Victorian optometrists to build or enhance existing community glaucoma collaborative care and telehealth pathways with local ophthalmologists,” the OA advice said.

Further details are available at: optometry.org.au/workplace/public-glaucoma-referrals-invictoria-what-optometristsneed-to-know.