BCLA releases podcast on PPE in practice

CLO, Nick Howard

Contact lens optician, Nick Howard, and optometrist, Luke Allen, discuss personal protective equipment (PPE) in practice in the latest podcast from the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA).

Nick, who works in two Lancashire hospitals fitting speciality contact lenses while developing innovative techniques for management of myopia and dry eye in independent practice, and Luke, who manages and treats severe dry eye cases, as well as fitting specialist contact lenses, in a private independent practice, discuss their experiences of wearing face masks and carrying out procedures using PPE.

The pair discuss everything from surgical masks and video slit lamps to boiling kettles to prevent Volk lenses from steaming up – as well as sharing tips on how to stay safe and improve communication with patients while wearing PPE.

The latest podcast follows on from the BCLA’s first podcast released in July, which gave listeners the chance to hear from experts about the impact of Covid-19 on the contact lens profession.

BCLA chief executive, Luke Stevens-Burt, said: “We’ve had some great feedback from the first podcast, which was a real success, and we look forward to reaching even more eyecare professionals as the series goes on.

“PPE has always been part of health care, but during the coronavirus pandemic there has been an increased expectation to increase this use. For many, this includes using new PPE items and adapting to it whilst carrying out procedures.

“With it being such a talking point among eyecare professionals, we felt it was the perfect topic to discuss in depth in our latest podcast.”

The podcast can be found by searching for ‘BCLA @Yours’ on Spotify, Google Podcast, Breaker, Pocket Casts and Radio Public.

For more details, visit the BCLA @ Yours podcast page.