by Dr Denize Atan, Associate Professor in Neuro-opthalmology, Neuroscience and Genetics, University of Bristol
Papilloedema is nerve swelling at the back of the eyes. It is caused by increased pressure inside the head and can be the first sign of a brain tumour or other serious health problems.
As half the people with a brain tumour have no symptoms, optometrists (trained eye care professionals who work at optician practices) may be the first to notice nerve swelling in someone during a routine eye test.
The importance of detecting papilloedema has been highlighted by recent high profile cases in the media.
The ‘Improving the Diagnostic accuracy of referrals for Papilloedema’ (DIPP) Study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to develop a set of guidelines and educational materials for optometrists and GPs that will help them to diagnose papilloedema more accurately and refer people to hospital when they have it.
If you are a GP or optometrist, or you are a health professional who might see someone referred to hospital with suspected nerve swelling in your clinical work, e.g., ophthalmologist, neurologist or emergency care clinician, then we are asking for your help.
Please complete our national survey and help us to shape our DIPP study guidelines. At the end of the survey, you can also volunteer to be interviewed on this topic.
Thank you for your time and support!