Optometrists

Easy Critical Appraisal Tool

This is a critical appraisal tool (CAT) designed for use by beginners, who are not very familiar with various study designs or with statistics. This CAT focuses on the fundamentals and is less sophisticated than other CATs, but easier to use and a good primer for EBP beginners.

EBP Interest Group Workshop on Critical Appraisal

Here is a pdf copy of the slides and notes used for the second EBP Interest Group meeting conducted in March 2014 at the University of New South Wales focusing on Critical Appraisal. If you are interested in a copy of the PowerPoint slides or want to participate in the group, please contact us at eboptometry@unsw.edu.au.

Coloured or Irlen lenses for reading difficulties - Part 4: Apply

The diagram attached discusses the factors and conclusion of application for Irlen lenses to the original clinical case.
 


Coloured or Irlen lenses for reading difficulties - Part 3: Appraise

The clinical practice guidelines and secondary sources found require appraisal to determine how believable the conclusions are.

However developed and published appraisal tools are lacking for secondary sources, unlike primary sources.

The National Health and Medical Research Council clinical practice guideline portal reports 4 criteria for which practice guidelines, policy statements and other summaries can be appraised:

    Coloured or Irlen lenses for reading difficulties - Part 3: Appraise

    The clinical practice guidelines and secondary sources found require appraisal to determine how believable the conclusions are. However developed and published appraisal tools are lacking for secondary sources (compared with primary sources / studies). The National Health and Medical Research Council clinical practice guideline portal reports 4 criteria for which practice guidelines, policy statements and other summaries can be appraised:

    The RoBIN-T scale for rating single case designs

    Not all single-case designs have high methodological quality. The revised Risk of Bias in N of 1 Trials (RoBiN-T) scale can be used to:

    • Identify experimental versus non-experimental single-case designs
      • Experimental designs are those which use variants of the withdrawal/reversal design (e.g. ABA), multiple baseline designs, alternating treatment designs and changing criterion designs.
      • Non-experimental designs include those that use a single phase or are bi-phasic only (eg. A-B), contain pre/post data only and case descriptions.

    Centre for Eye Health

    The Centre for Eye Health (CFEH) based at the University of New South Wales provides state-of-the-art eye imaging and visual system diagnostic services to the general community in one location, at no charge.

    For Opthalmologists and Optometrists, there are also online cases to assist with use of EBP from a problem-based learning perspective.

    • The IMAGE online newsletters are freely available and discuss a key eye condition in each issue from an Optometric perspective.

    PEDro-P Scale for Critical Appraisal of Group Comparison Studies

    The PEDro-P is a reliable tool to rate group comparison studies (both randomised and non-randomised control trials)

    Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group

    The Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group is (CEVG) is part of the Cochrane Collaboration. The CEVG is an international network of individuals dedicated to promoting EBP by working to prepare, maintain and promote access to systematic reviews of interventions to treat or prevent eye diseases or visual impairment.

    This website has a range of resources that may be of interest:

    Medical Statistics Tutorial

    This Medical Statistics Tutorial is an innovative resource that helps health professionals understand statistics. There is content for people just starting out and those wanting to advance their skills. Understanding statistics is a key part of interpreting data, critically appraising articles and application of research to practice.

    Topics include:

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