Eyecare Patient Records Don’t Always Tell the Full Story, Study Says

There may be a simple solution.

When it comes to eyecare, patients’ medical records don’t always tell the full story, a new study suggests.

In the research from the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, the content of pre-appointment patient questionnaires did not always match what a clinician wrote down to document the visit.

“The concern highlighted by this research is that important symptoms may be overlooked,” said Dr. Maria Woodward, assistant professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at U-M. “If a patient has severe symptoms, all of those symptoms should be documented and addressed.”

The top “discordant issue” was glare, according to a press release. Of patients reporting concern about glare on their surveys, 91 percent didn’t have it on their medical records.

The study highlights an opportunity to improve lines of communication between patients and doctors, according to the release. Woodward said implementing pre-appointment eye symptom questionnaires similar to those in the study could be simple and effective.

Read more from the University of Michigan