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 … Read more