Evaluation of the clinical maxim: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Purpose: A significant number of patients return to optometric practice dissatisfied with their spectacles. An important question is whether any of these cases are preventable. There are several different clinical maxims that are used to modify the subjective refraction when determining the refractive prescription.

Spectacle prescribing II: practitioner experience is linked to the likelihood of suggesting a partial prescription.

Purpose: A follow up study to investigate whether UK optometrists partially prescribe significant changes in refractive correction to assist patient adaptation and whether various aspects of practitioner profiles are linked to the nature of these prescribing decisions.

Method: A case scenario type questionnaire was distributed by post and via the internet to UK optometrists. Five case scenarios were described that included information on patient age, symptoms, habitual refractive correction (if any), subjective refraction and any other relevant clinical information.

What adjustments, if any, do UK optometrists make to the subjective refraction result prior to prescribing?

Aim: To determine whether UK optometrists routinely prescribe the subjective refraction result, or whether adjustments are made to aid patient comfort and adaptation.

Method: A questionnaire was distributed by post and via the internet to UK optometrists. It incorporated eight case scenarios that included information regarding a patient's age, symptoms, habitual refractive correction, subjective refraction and any other pertinent clinical information.