Optometry : journal of the American Optometric Association
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There is an apparent increase in the number of private optometry practices that are closing due to a lack of interested buyers. We examined some of the factors that influence the market for optometry practices in a survey of practicing optometrists and third- and fourth-year optometry students. ⋯ There are many factors that affect the value and marketability of an optometric practice. In order to sell a practice, the owner must consider the effects of the needs and desires of recently graduated optometrists.
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Eye care services, though accounting for only a small fraction of healthcare costs, encompass a unique spectrum of professional staffing options that can enhance efficiency and decrease costs within staff model managed care organizations. ⋯ The cost-effectiveness of using the services of optometrists capable of delivering high-quality eye care can be demonstrated. Potential cost savings for staff model managed care organizations may accrue if the roles, functions, and availability of eye providers are adjusted.
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Horner's syndrome results from disruption of the sympathetic innervation to the eye anywhere along its three-neuron circuit. It is essential to be familiar with the oculosympathetic pathway, the structures that are in close proximity to it, and the disease processes that may interrupt it when an evaluation is made of an acquired Horner's syndrome, since it may be a manifestation of a life-threatening condition. ⋯ Familiarity with the sympathetic pathway to the eye and its anatomical relationships enables one to understand the mechanism by which a Horner's syndrome has developed.