Working Life: Together with our optometrists, I run a busy clinic for patients with medical retina conditions
Dr Olya Scannell, consultant ophthalmologist: "While most of those we treat have relatively routine conditions, some have challenging eye problems that are more difficult to resolve"
6.15am
The day begins in customary style: my three-year-old son Nikolai pulls my hand to wake me up. My husband Richie and I trundle downstairs to prepare porridge for the boy and coffee for us.
My week is divided between our new community ophthalmology service in Tallaght and the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital on Adelaide Road. Today I jump in the car and head to Tallaght. The service there — recently established — aims to give patients better access to high-quality care closer to home, while reducing overall waiting lists and pressure on tertiary hospitals.
Before clinic begins, we run a team learning session to share experience, improving the care we collectively provide. Today one of our medical ophthalmology trainees presents on a paediatric ophthalmology topic. The extent of paediatric ophthalmology waiting lists was a big factor behind the establishment of our service and this area still comprises much of our clinical workload.
Together with our optometrists, I run a busy clinic for patients with medical retina conditions. We see new and review patients transferred from hospital waiting lists. An orthoptist-led paediatric clinic runs concurrently.
Lunch comes around quickly. I nip out for a breath of fresh air and a sandwich with members of the team.
Our afternoon paediatric clinic is led by the optometrist and orthoptist (eye muscle specialist). I use this time to get through administrative and management tasks. I examine waiting lists and patient throughput numbers with our manager and plan future clinic schedules accordingly. I also work on a business plan to enhance our medical retina service.
Clinics wrap up. Before the day finishes, I sit down with the team to review any challenging clinical cases. This can be a key part of the day — while most of those we treat have relatively routine conditions, some have challenging eye problems that are more difficult to resolve. We discuss treatment protocols for these patients.
I make it home in time for a quick scoot to the park with Nikolai.
Once Nikolai is asleep, Richie and I make dinner for ourselves. Afterwards we either potter in the garden or flop on the couch.
Bedtime is early. I manage a few pages of a novel before sleep hits.
