EyePod: The optometry podcast

EyePod: The optometry podcast

By The College of Optometrists

Welcome to The College of Optometrists' podcast. Hosted by our Clinical Advisers, the podcast covers the latest research, cutting-edge technology, and advancements in eye care. Join respected industry leaders, expert clinicians, and patients as they share unique insights, real-life experiences, and practical tips for maintaining eye health.
Available on
Apple Podcasts Logo
Castbox Logo
Overcast Logo
Pocket Casts Logo
RadioPublic Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

National Eye Health Week: Keeping your eyes healthy

EyePod: The optometry podcastSep 27, 2024
00:00
06:34
Autism - Accessibility in eye care
May 15, 202546:11
Topic update: The impact of OCT in optometric practice

Topic update: The impact of OCT in optometric practice

College Library and Information Services Manager, Marlene Blackstock, talks to College Vice President Professor Irene Ctori PFHEA FCOptom PhD PGDip MSc BSc(Hons) about her research on “The Impact of OCT in Optometric Practice".

Apr 01, 202507:21
International Women's Day 2025 part 2 - For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment

International Women's Day 2025 part 2 - For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment

College Clinical Adviser Denise Voon MCOptom speaks to College President Dr Gillian Rudduck PhD MCOptom DipTp(IP) Higher Cert Glauc and Vice President Professor Irene Ctori PFHEA FCOptom PhD PGDip MSc BSc(Hons) about their journeys to their positions of leadership within the College.

They discuss what inspired each of their journeys, the barriers they encountered along the way, as well as sharing advice to other female optometrists on their career paths.

Mar 13, 202548:03
International Women's Day 2025 part 1 - True equity for women

International Women's Day 2025 part 1 - True equity for women

College Clinical Adviser Denise Voon MCOptom speaks to Rebekah Stevens, Lead Assessor at the College, about what true equity should mean for women.

They discuss the gender pay gap, work-life balance, and what advice they have to women trying to have a career while also supporting their family.

Mar 05, 202556:59
The external eye with Fiona Jazayeri
Feb 20, 202527:29
Optometry 2024 in review
Dec 10, 202434:17
A family's journey after an eye examination

A family's journey after an eye examination

For International Brain Tumour Awareness Week, College Clinical Adviser Denise Voon MCOptom talks to Nicola Nuttall, who tragically lost her daughter Laura to a rare form of brain cancer when she was just 23. Denise and Nicola talk about how Laura was diagnosed after a routine eye examination and the incredible campaigning and bucket list goals she achieved in her life.

Denise also speaks to Lorcan Butler BSc (Hons) MCOptom, Prof Cert Paed Eye Care, Optometrist and Optical Engagement Manager with The Brain Tumour Charity, who answers questions about what optometrists should look out for when conducting an eye examination and how to converse with someone who needs to be referred for further tests.

Oct 28, 202444:16
National Eye Health Week: Keeping your eyes healthy

National Eye Health Week: Keeping your eyes healthy

As part of National Eye Health Week, our College Clinical Advisers answer some of the most common questions about eye health from patients.

In this episode, Denise Voon MCOptom and Daniel Hardiman-McCartney FCOptom MBE provide advice on lifestyle changes to help keep your eyes healthy.

Sep 27, 202406:34
National Eye Health Week: Affordable eye care

National Eye Health Week: Affordable eye care

As part of National Eye Health Week, our College Clinical Advisers answer some of the most common questions about eye health from patients. In this episode, Denise Voon MCOptom and Dr Paramdeep Bilkhu MCOptom explain how you can save money on your eye care.

Sep 26, 202403:45
National Eye Health Week: Vision across different age groups

National Eye Health Week: Vision across different age groups

As part of National Eye Health Week, our College Clinical Advisers answer some of the most common questions about eye health from patients.

In this episode, Denise Voon MCOptom and Daniel Hardiman-McCartney FCOptom MBE answer questions about children and teens eye health, as well as those over 60.

Sep 25, 202405:10
National Eye Health Week: What is an optometrist?

National Eye Health Week: What is an optometrist?

As part of National Eye Health Week, our College Clinical Advisers answer some of the most common questions about eye health from patients. In this episode, Denise Voon MCOptom and Dr Paramdeep Bilkhu MCOptom explain the role of an optometrist.

Sep 24, 202402:44
National Eye Health Week: What is a sight test?

National Eye Health Week: What is a sight test?

As part of National Eye Health Week, our College Clinical Advisers answer some of the most common questions about eye health from patients.

In this episode, Denise Voon MCOptom and Daniel Hardiman-McCartney FCOptom MBE explain what a sight test is and why having regular sight tests is so important.

Sep 23, 202404:12
Driving home the importance of regular sight tests

Driving home the importance of regular sight tests

At the start of National Eye Health Week College Clinical Advisers Denise Voon MCOptom, Daniel Hardiman-McCartney FCOptom MBE, and Dr Paramdeep Bilkhu MCOptom discuss effective ways to reinforce the importance of regular sight tests.

Sep 23, 202406:02
Everything YOU wanted to know about AMD
Aug 19, 202442:06
I’ve received a GOC complaint; will I get struck off?
Jul 05, 202451:54
Coping with anxiety: Supervisors and trainees
May 03, 202429:46
Coping with anxiety
Apr 12, 202442:54
WebinarXtra: What's new in the Guidance for Professional Practice - 4th edition
Feb 14, 202419:40
Dealing with bullying and harassment in the workplace

Dealing with bullying and harassment in the workplace

In our latest podcast, College clinical adviser Denise Voon MCOptom Prof Cert Med Ret talks to Nazia Fitzpatrick, a business psychologist and executive coach and facilitator. They discuss the concerning statistics from the General Optical Council's registrant workforce and perception survey including 41% of responders saying they had experienced bullying and harassment in the workplace.

Jan 24, 202441:42
Headlight glare - A glaring problem - Part 2
Nov 23, 202338:06
Headlight glare: A glaring problem - Part 1
Nov 23, 202330:36
Black History Month 2023: Saluting our Sisters

Black History Month 2023: Saluting our Sisters

To mark Black History Month, College Clinical Adviser Denise Voon MCOptom talked to optometrists Chidinma Onyenezido MCOptom and Adaku Eze MCOptom to explore this year’s theme ‘Saluting our Sisters’.

They share their personal experiences, including the successes, challenges and difficulties they've faced working in the UK, the differences in healthcare compared to their home country of Nigeria, and share advice for anyone wishing to come and work in the UK as an optometrist.

Oct 18, 202344:17
WebinarXtra: Artificial intelligence in optometry
Oct 12, 202344:06
Acuity podcast: A matter of research

Acuity podcast: A matter of research

In this special College podcast Acuity spoke to College members Amy Hughes MCOptom and Ian Jarvis MCOptom about their experiences of research.

Aug 18, 202310:46
WebinarXtra: Education and Training Requirements (ETR)
Aug 17, 202325:34
The importance of charity work in the eye care sector

The importance of charity work in the eye care sector

College clinical adviser Denise Voon MCOptom Prof Cert Med Ret speaks to Jane Veys MCOptom, Clinical Editor of Acuity magazine, about her long history and passion for charity work, her involvement with the College, and why she thinks everyone should volunteer.

Jul 12, 202334:53
Motion perception in cataract patients

Motion perception in cataract patients

To mark Cataracts Awareness Month, College clinical adviser Denise Voon MCOptom Prof Cert Med Ret talked to Dr Sam Strong, Lecturer of Vision Science at Aston University, about motion perception in cataract patients.

Sam talks about her background and research as well as how motion perception affects cataract patients’ ability to judge distances and speeds, especially while driving.

Jun 27, 202346:53
WebinarXtra: Binocular Vision
Jun 14, 202348:19
WebinarXtra: Now & future retinal treatments
May 31, 202344:25
WebinarXtra: Best practice for optometrists' written and telephone referrals
Apr 18, 202345:45
Dyslexia and the role of the optometrist
Feb 22, 202325:59
What every optometrist needs to know about visual snow
Jan 26, 202350:59
Advanced Clinical Practice
Dec 14, 202223:59
WebinarXtra: OCT in optometric practice for beginners
Nov 29, 202249:53
Black History Month 2022: Is optometry diverse and inclusive?
Oct 19, 202201:09:20
WebinarXtra: Complex cataract and vitreoretinal surgery - Part 3
Oct 06, 202218:35
WebinarXtra: Complex cataract and vitreoretinal surgery - Part 2
Oct 06, 202225:04
WebinarXtra: Complex cataract and vitreoretinal surgery - Part 1
Oct 06, 202230:43
Myopia guidance review - Part 2
Sep 06, 202226:24
Myopia guidance review - Part 1
Aug 24, 202221:48
OPO special - Part 2: hospital optometrists survey and cataract advice
Jun 17, 202240:53
OPO special - Part 1: Is 'comfortable’ print size a useful clinical parameter?
Jun 17, 202230:46
WebinarXtra: The future of contact lenses
May 26, 202219:52
Creating an AMD one-stop shop

Creating an AMD one-stop shop

In this episode, Daniel and Martin speak to Principal Optometrist, Denise Voon MCOptom, and Retinal Consultant Ophthalmologist, Mr Markus Groppe, about their unique AMD Medical Management Pathway at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. The pair discuss: how the AMD service was set up, offering an efficient one-stop-shop; the benefits to patients of the ‘treat and extend’ model of care; and how to motivate change and practitioner buy-in.

Apr 27, 202228:52
Vision Care for Homeless People
Feb 28, 202228:47
The restoration and transformation of eye care pathways post-COVID-19

The restoration and transformation of eye care pathways post-COVID-19

Dr Melanie Hingorani  FRCOphth Clinical Lead for Eye Care Restoration and Transformation at NHS England, and the College's clinical adviser, Daniel Hardiman-McCartney FCOptom, discuss the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on referrals, patient outcomes, the changes on eye care that the pandemic has brought, and how eye care might look in the future.

Dec 08, 202131:07
OiP: COVID-19 and its impact on eyecare
Nov 17, 202117:55
Reforming prisoners through optometry
Oct 08, 202128:54
Risks of aerosol transmission of COVID-19 in practice

Risks of aerosol transmission of COVID-19 in practice

In this episode, Daniel has a fascinating conversation with Professor Jose-Luis Jimenez, aerosol expert and fellow of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder, USA.

In July last year, Professor Jimenez was one of 239 experts in multiple scientific fields who signed an open letter to the CDC and WHO (1) urging them to recognise inhalation as the main mode of transmission of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

Daniel and Professor Jimenez’s conversation covers the difference between droplet and aerosol transmission, why it matters and how to reduce the spread, plus Jose’s publicly available modelling tool, which you can use to estimate the transmission risk in your practice (2).

Professor Jimenez shares his own personal recommendations on specific mask types. The College continues to align its views and recommendations on masks with those of Public Health England.

Resources mentioned

1. It Is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) - https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/71/9/2311/5867798

2. Aerosol Transmission Estimator Tool - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16K1OQkLD4BjgBdO8ePj6ytf-RpPMlJ6aXFg3PrIQBbQ/edit#gid=519189277

3. Indicators for Risk of Airborne Transmission in Shared Indoor Environments and their application to COVID-19 Outbreaks - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.21.21255898v1

4. Exhaled CO2 as a COVID-19 Infection Risk Proxy for Different Indoor Environments and Activities - https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00183

5. Dismantling myths on the airborne transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195670121000074

Aug 20, 202139:53
WebinarXtra: Common optic neuropathies
Jul 06, 202128:16