Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Seeing you through London 2012: eye care at the Paralympics
  1. Clare M Wilson1,
  2. W David Thomson2,
  3. Penny J D'Ath2
  1. 1Department of Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
  2. 2Division of Optometry & Visual Science, City University London, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Clare M Wilson, Department of Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK; clarewil25{at}yahoo.com

Abstract

Background The provision of eye care services for competitors and support teams is integral to the modern Olympic Games. The eye clinic for the London 2012 Paralympic Games employed a multidisciplinary team of eye care professionals using state-of-the-art instrumentation to provide the highest level of eye care. The detailed organisation of the eye care clinic at London 2012 is described in a companion paper which summarises the eye care clinic during the London 2012 Olympic Games. These two reports will aid in planning eye care clinics at future Games.

Aim This paper summarises the organisation of the eye clinic and provides outline audit data relating to eye conditions encountered during the Paralympic Games.

Results A total of 870 patients representing 102 countries attended the eye clinic. 274 (31.5%) were competitors; the remainder were trainers and support staff. No serious ocular injuries resulted from competitor injury in the field of play during the Paralympic Games, although seven patients were referred urgently to hospital eye services for conditions including orbital cellulitis, retinal detachment, exudative macular degeneration, corneal ulcer, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and macular oedema. A total of 749 spectacles, 14 pairs of contact lenses and 7 low vision aids were dispensed.

Conclusions By combining excellent facilities and equipment with a multidisciplinary team of eye care professionals, we feel we provided the highest level of eye care, providing a legacy for future Games.

  • Olympics
  • Optometry

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.