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Welcome to Optometry Simplified.

In this biweekly newsletter, I've curated the best resources to help you grow personally and professionally.

My mission is to find what's best for my patients and my practice.

Here's what I've found...

Links I Liked

Making “kid contacts” a reality: when and how to fit children in CLs safely

This article reviews the evolving landscape of pediatric contact lenses, covering indications ranging from high anisometropia to myopia control and aphakia, and offers best practices for lens selection, training, and follow-up to minimize risk. For optometrists, it’s a timely reminder that with the right protocols and education, we can expand access to CLs in children without compromising safety. Review of Cornea & Contact Lenses​

The grief is real ​
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I felt it with my oldest son when I scoped +5.50 OD and +2.50 OS when he was 2 years old. Laurie Sorrenson, OD, FAAO unpacks the feelings parents have when we prescribe glasses to their children. A great reminder that even though we've done it thousands of times, it is a big deal for parents. Review of Optometric Business​

The conference survival kit

Have a conference to attend this fall? Here is a roundup of new tools to prepare, network, and take notes. Wonder Tools​

Research I'm Reading

Vertical ultra-wide field image steering on all patients?

A new research paper shows that ultrawidefield (UWF) imaging detects 83% of peripheral retinal breaks. That’s impressive sensitivity overall, but the details matter because superior breaks were detected only ~52% of the time, and inferior breaks were detected only ~65% of the time. Eye​

Are VR headsets ready to replace the Humphrey Field Analyzer?

This systematic review examined 19 studies that evaluated VR headsets for visual field testing and compared them with the gold standard, the HFA. Some devices show strong promise, but the evidence also reveals gaps in early-stage disease detection, pediatric use, and standardization that ODs should be aware of. Vision​

Deep Thoughts

GLP-1 Drugs and the Eye: What Optometrists Need to Know

GLP-1 receptor agonists (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, etc.) are exploding in use—15 million Americans are on semaglutide alone. For us in primary eye care, that means a growing number of patients in our chairs who may be systemically healthier but simultaneously at risk for new ocular complications.

The AOA’s recent clinical report highlights three key concerns:

1. Diabetic Retinopathy Progression – Rapid HbA1c drops from GLP-1s can trigger early worsening of DR, especially in patients with severe baseline disease or very high A1c. Think back to the UKPDS and insulin intensification—we’ve seen this before. These patients need a baseline dilated exam and tighter follow-up (first 12–18 months are the highest risk).
2. NAION (Non-arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy) – Semaglutide now carries a warning in Europe for a very rare but serious link to NAION. Patients over 50 with a “disc at risk” (small C/D) or systemic vascular risk factors are most vulnerable. Even one extra case per 10,000 person-years is clinically meaningful when millions are taking the drug.
3. Neovascular AMD – A recent population study suggests more than a 2x relative risk of wet AMD in GLP-1 users, albeit with low absolute numbers. Still, this elevates the importance of careful macular surveillance in older adults starting therapy.

Bottom line: The systemic benefits of GLP-1s are enormous, but they come with ophthalmic risks that only we, as optometrists, are positioned to detect early.

Every patient starting or currently on a GLP-1 should undergo a baseline dilated eye exam, documented fundus/OCT imaging if high-risk, and receive ongoing monitoring.

Educating patients on warning signs of sudden vision loss, new distortion, and fluctuating vision is part of our role in the care team.

This is a moment for primary care optometry to lead.

With an aging population, exploding GLP-1 prescriptions, and a shrinking ophthalmology workforce, our vigilance will determine whether patients reap the systemic benefits of these drugs without losing vision in the process.

Practice Performance Partners Pick

​Watch Christopher Wolfe, OD discuss the AOA's report on GLP-1 treatments with two of the authors, Andrew Morgenstern, OD, and Carl Urbanski, OD:

Can you do me a favor? If you found any of these resources helpful, share this newsletter with one of our colleagues!

See you in 2 weeks!

--Kyle Klute, OD, FAAO

1515 S 152 Avenue Circle, Omaha, Nebraska 68144
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