'Patch Party' held by Orthoptists at Royal Gwent Hospital!
Thursday 31st August 2023
Orthoptists at ABUHB Royal Gwent Hospital held a 'Patch Party' on the 18th August! The party was to coincide with NHS75 celebrations. They were slightly late to the party as they had to wait for school holidays in order to celebrate with the children!
The aim of the party was to encourage young patients who are currently undergoing treatment for a 'lazy eye' – medically known as Amblyopia.
Amblyopia is the most common cause for treatable reduced vision in young children.
Amblyopia or lazy eye can occur in children who need glasses, or who have a squint (an eye that turns inwards or outwards). Referral to an Orthoptist is essential as evidence shows that treatment is most effective when a child is less than 8 years old. Prompt treatment is therefore required following diagnosis, resulting in a better patient outcome following treatment.
Amblyopia can be treated in a variety of ways, to enable the vision to develop normally. Sometimes glasses alone will improve vision without the need for additional treatment. Sometimes, even once glasses have been prescribed to the patient, the weaker eye may need extra stimulation; therefore, in these instances a patch or occlusion therapy will be commenced.
Occlusion treatment takes the form of covering the stronger eye with a patch or sometimes an eye drop which blurs the vision of the stronger eye, which in turn forces the weaker eye to improve.
Children can often be resistant to wearing an eye patch, so the idea of the party was for the children to have fun with others undergoing treatment and also parents were able to chat and compare strategies for encouraging their child to comply with treatment.
Those who were able to attend the party had a fun time (as evidenced by the photographs!); and the department is already looking forward to the next one!
A huge well done to Charlie who wore his patch for the first time at the party – we're so proud of you!
Also a big 'Thankyou!' to -Tesco Risca for donating treats for the children, Carrie Hopkins Directorate Manager Ophthalmology for her cash donation and Ophthalmology outpatients for the loan of their waiting area!
Feedback from parents who attended the event has been extremely positive with many asking ‘when’s the next one?’.
Whilst other parents commented it was an ‘excellent idea’ and saying that ‘we enjoyed it so much!’.
One of the patients waiting for treatment said ‘ it was so lovely to see the children having such a fun time!'
Nicola Turner (Head Orthoptist) said they are looking to hold future 'Patch Parties' with the next one hopefully being planned before the end of the year!
