"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is more than a dreamy 1950's slow dance tune by the Platters.
Within the last three to four years a number of studies have linked smoking with macular degeneration, a progressive deterioration of vision once primarily attributed to the aging process. The link of smoking to macular degeneration is in addition to smoking already being recognized as a risk factor in both ocular diseases and systemic diseases contributing to ocular complications including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cataracts.
Oklahoma was chosen to launch a program that encourages optometric physicians to help their patients reduce and/or stop the use of tobacco. Smoking cessation kits, which included a variety of tools, were distributed to optometric physicians.
This presentation will report the initial results of the pilot project's impact on patient and practitioner behavior. Additionally, resources available for the promotion of smoking cessation programs will be provided to assist individuals who wish to develop their own program to encourage primary care physicians to incorporate the discussion of tobacco use and referral for smoking cessation into their routine clinical practice.
See aoanet.orgLearning Objectives: Identify key steps for primary care providers to discuss and promote with their patients enrollment in tobacco cessation programs. List and access resources available to primary care providers for promotion of tobacco cessation program. Develop program to promote primary care providers discussing with their patients tobacco use and potential cessation plans.
Keywords: Tobacco, Vision Care
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.