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GOC Standard 12: Infection Prevention in Optical Practice

Embedding Clinical Safety and Hygiene into Everyday Care (Within S12)

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Infection Prevention (GOC S12)
Infection Prevention Matters
Basic Concepts of Infection
Infectious Eye Diseases
Infectious Eye Disease
SICPs - Infection Control
Cleaning & Disinfection
Cleaning Lapses
Environmental Cleaning & Waste
Vaccination & Public Health
Vaccination & Staff Health
Incident Response
Incident Management
IPC in Domiciliary Practice
Reflection & Continuous Improvement
Exam Pass Notes - GOC Standard 12
Reading List
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Scenarios: Infectious Eye Disease

Real-world cases anchor decisions. The aim is to protect patients and staff while keeping clinics flowing. Records should show proportionate actions linked to safety, not blame. ^[2]

Scenario

A patient arrives at clinic reporting a recent onset of a watery, red eye with a gritty sensation. They sit in the waiting area and are seen for routine assessment; no immediate isolation measures are taken. Subsequent laboratory testing confirms adenoviral conjunctivitis, raising concerns about potential transmission via contact with surfaces, equipment and hands during the original visit.

What precautions should have been taken during the original visit?

Perform and document hand hygiene before and after all patient contact. ^[2]
Advise the patient to avoid touching or rubbing the opposite eye and provide single‑use tissues. ^[3]
Use manufacturer‑approved disinfection with appropriate contact time on slit‑lamp controls, tonometer prisms, chin and head rests after use. ^[1]^[4]
Avoid shared items (e.g., towels); advise against towel sharing and provide guidance for cleaning spectacles. ^[3]
Inform reception to minimise waiting‑room crowding for subsequent bookings and ensure seating areas are cleaned after the patient leaves. ^[2]

Scenario

A clinician develops a cold sore on the morning of clinic but feels well enough to attend work. They are scheduled to examine several patients and to perform some close‑contact tasks. The clinician is aware of the lesion but initially assumes routine precautions suffice.

Can they examine patients, and what steps are required?

They may continue to work if lesions are covered where feasible and scrupulous hand hygiene is followed. ^[5]^[2]
Avoid touching lesions before patient contact; do not perform contact lens teaching or tasks requiring close hand‑to‑mouth proximity that day. ^[5]
If the clinician needs frequent mask adjustments due to discomfort, reassign them to lower‑exposure tasks or consider a short exclusion from higher‑risk duties. ^[5]
Document accountability details: who recognised the risk; what IPC measures were used; when equipment was disinfected and by whom; why any task adjustments or exclusions were necessary; and the review date for return to normal duties. ^[2]

Accountability details to capture: who recognised the risk; what IPC measures were used; when equipment was disinfected and by whom; why any task adjustments or exclusions were necessary; and the review date for return to normal duties. ^[2]

References (numbered in text)

Infection control - The College of Optometrists (College of Optometrists) Find (opens in a new tab)
National infection prevention and control manual: Chapter 1: Standard infection control precautions (SICPs) - NHS England (2025) Find (opens in a new tab)
Adenovirus: ocular manifestations - Jeremy Hoffman (Community Eye Health, 2020) Find (opens in a new tab)
Preventing Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024) Find (opens in a new tab)
Joint British Association for Sexual Health and HIV and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists national UK guideline for the management of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in pregnancy and the neonate (2024 update) - Emily Clarke; Raj Patel; Dyan Dickins; Katy Fidler; Allan Jackson; Margaret Kingston; Christine Jones; Hermione Lyall; Marian Nicholson; Emanuela Pelosi; David Porter; Gemma Powell; Elizabeth Foley (2024) Find (opens in a new tab)

Key Points

Please take a moment to review these points, reflect on their significance and consider how they apply to your own experiences.

Tick to confirm (optional):

Use hand hygiene before and after all patient contact
Disinfect slit-lamp controls, tonometer prisms and chin/head rests using manufacturer-approved products and full contact times
Offer single-use tissues and advise against sharing towels or personal items
Provide spectacle-cleaning advice and patient hygiene instructions on departure
Inform reception to minimise waiting-room crowding and clean seating after the patient leaves
Record proportionate actions: who recognised the risk, measures used, timings and personnel responsible
Clinician with cold sore may work if lesions are covered, strict hand hygiene is maintained and high-risk tasks (eg contact-lens teaching) are avoided
Reassign tasks or consider short exclusion if lesion management causes frequent mask adjustments or increased exposure risk
Capture accountability details and review dates for return to normal duties
Ensure documented IPC decisions focus on safety and proportionate risk mitigation, not blame

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Infectious Eye Diseases SICPs - Infection Control

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Course Snapshot

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Length: 60 minutes CPD (1.00 CE Credits)
Appropriate for: Optometrists, dispensing opticians, optical assistants, practice managers, locums, students, domiciliary clinicians.
Course Price: Free
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Harvard

Mecourse Lifelong Learning (2025) ‘Scenario Page 1: Infectious Eye Disease’. Mecourse Lifelong Learning [Online]. Available at: https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-1-infectious-eye-disease [Accessed 12 May 2026].

Vancouver

Mecourse Lifelong Learning. Scenario Page 1: Infectious Eye Disease [Internet]. Mecourse Lifelong Learning; 2025 Aug 22 [cited 2026 May 12]. Available from: https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-1-infectious-eye-disease.

Chicago

Mecourse Lifelong Learning. “Scenario Page 1: Infectious Eye Disease.” 2025. https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-1-infectious-eye-disease. Accessed May 12, 2026.

APA

Mecourse Lifelong Learning. (2025, August 22). Scenario Page 1: Infectious Eye Disease. https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-1-infectious-eye-disease

IEEE

Mecourse Lifelong Learning, “Scenario Page 1: Infectious Eye Disease.” Mecourse Lifelong Learning. https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-1-infectious-eye-disease (Accessed: May 12, 2026).

AMA

Mecourse Lifelong Learning. Scenario Page 1: Infectious Eye Disease. Mecourse Lifelong Learning. Published August 22, 2025. Accessed May 12, 2026. https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-1-infectious-eye-disease.

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