Revised RCOphth Hydroxychloroquine Retinopathy Monitoring Guidelines
October 2021
There is now revised RCOphth guidance regarding the monitoring of patients taking Hydroxychloroquine.
Baseline testing for new initiators of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine is no longer recommended and there is no specific recommendation for patients to arrange annual community optometry assessments, or any specific form of self-assessment, before monitoring commences.
The full guidance document issued December 2020 by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists is available here
If you encounter patients signposted by a GP or rheumatologist/dermatologist for an eye examination purely because of their use of this medication please liaise with the professional involved and send them a copy of the new guidance. If assessment and monitoring is still considered appropriate this is provided by GHNHSFT and referrals should be forwarded to the CBO (Central booking office ghn-tr.cboreferrals@nhs.net ) for the attention of the consultant Elizabeth Bristow ( elizabeth.bristow@nhs.net)