Objective:

The article examines the objective, findings, and clinical context described in The Critical Role of Medication Reviews in Ophthalmic Care.

Approach:

• Clinical context: At the 2026 American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, Alison Dzwonczyk Early, MD, and Joan Wilson, BS, COMT, LSBB, discussed medication review in ophthalmic clinic and surgical care.
• Technician workflow: The speakers recommend asking about medication changes, reviewing the list with patients, considering each drug’s indication and duration, obtaining relevant history and testing within scope, and communicating significant findings to the physician.

Key Findings:

• Hydroxychloroquine can cause dose- and duration-dependent retinal toxicity; appropriate retinal screening is important.
• Tamsulosin is associated with intraoperative floppy iris syndrome during cataract surgery, including after the medication has been discontinued; current or prior use is relevant to preoperative review.
• Amiodarone commonly causes corneal verticillata and is rarely associated with optic neuropathy.
• Steroid or testosterone use may be relevant when evaluating central serous chorioretinopathy.
• Medication lists may reveal unreported conditions; the speakers gave metformin or semaglutide use as examples that may indicate diabetes.

Interpretation:

The speakers describe medication review as part of ocular history and preparation for physician evaluation, not merely an administrative task. Technicians should recognize and report relevant patterns and red flags, but should not diagnose.

Limitations:

• The context reports expert commentary from a meeting, not a clinical study or systematic review.
• No methods, patient data, or quantitative outcome measures are provided.

Conclusion:

The speakers recommend incorporating medication knowledge and review into technician training and routine ophthalmic workups.

Sources:

• Article context: The Critical Role of Medication Reviews in Ophthalmic Care