THE PREOPERATIVE ASSESSMENT AND INVESTIGATION OF OPHTHALMIC PATIENTS

This study was performed to document the prevalence of pre-existing me dical disease amongst 105 patients awaiting ophthalmic surgery, and to assess the usefulness of investigations performed in accordance with the guidelines of the Joint Working Party on Anaesthesia in Ophthalmic Surgery. Patients attending the preoperative assessment clinic prior to ophthalmic surgery all had a full medical history taken and a clini cal examination performed, Investigations were then ordered in accorda nce with the guidelines of the Joint Working Party on Anaesthesia in O phthalmic Surgery, Pre-existing disease was present in 74 patients and abnormal results were obtained from 77 of the 318 investigations, Onl y 132 of the investigations were felt to be clinically indicated, and of the 77 abnormal results only 11 were unexpected, Despite the high p revalence of medical disease, patients awaiting ophthalmic surgery sho uld be investigated only when clinically indicated and not on the basi s of age or sex alone.