Management of patients by provisional diagnosis
| Optometrists’ provisional diagnosis | Patients retained in the community (%) | Patients referred to hospital (%) | Patients referred to the GP (%) |
| Eyelid, lacrimal system, orbit (n=412) | 81.3 | 14.6 | 4.1 |
| Diseases of the conjunctiva (n=408) | 87.5 | 4.7 | 7.8 |
| Disorders of the cornea and sclera (n=536) | 82.6 | 13.8 | 3.5 |
| Disorders of the iris and ciliary body (n=29) | 3.4 | 93.1 | 3.4 |
| Disorders of the lens (n=45) | 60 | 40 | 0 |
| Disorders of choroid and retina (n=96) | 6.3 | 90.6 | 3.1 |
| Glaucoma (n=38) | 10.5 | 86.8 | 2.6 |
| Disorders of vitreous body and globe (n=142) | 82.4 | 17.6 | 0 |
| Disorders of optic nerve and visual pathway (n=6) | 0 | 100 | 0 |
| Disorders of ocular muscles, binocular movement, accommodation and refraction (n=63) | 87.3 | 11.1 | 1.6 |
| Visual disturbances and blindness (n=58) | 60.3 | 24.1 | 15.5 |