A review of 50 malpractice claims.

A study of 50 malpractice claims reveals that, although claims against optometrists have increased in number over the past two decades, the relative cost of professional liability insurance coverage has remained stable. The most common cause of claims is misdiagnosis of intraocular disease, principally retinal detachment, open-angle glaucoma, and tumors. Corneal disease and complications of contact lens wear also contribute to errors of diagnosis. The great majority of claims alleging misdiagnosis involve optometrists who have failed to use diagnostic drugs for dilation of the pupil; few claims are due to adverse responses to ophthalmic drugs. Failure to prescribe polycarbonate plastic as the spectacle lens material for patients at risk for ocular injury constitutes another cause of claims. A small number of claims allege failure to offer binocular vision therapy to amblyopic children.