How do general practitioners manage eye disease in the community?

A survey of the management of eye disease in the community was carried out in two general practices over a three-month period. During this time there were 238 consultations by patients with ocular symptoms, making up 2.3% of all consultations and giving an annual consultation rate for eye disease of 66 per 1000 persons at risk. The four commonest diagnoses were bacterial conjunctivitis, allergic conjunctivitis, meibomian cyst, and blepharitis, and these accounted for more than 70% of the consultations. A variety of topical and systemic treatments were used, with topical chloramphenicol prescribed in 55% of consultations. Referral to a hospital eye department resulted from 35 consultations, giving a referral rate of 15% of all consultations.