534-307 Pharmacology (Optometry)

Only available to students enrolled in BOptom.

Enrolment in the third year of the BOptom course with successful completion of second-year physiology and biochemistry.

The teaching program will emphasise the importance of drug action in the eye and provide the optometry student with enough background to appreciate the special needs of optometry patients undergoing drug therapy for other conditions and be able to communicate confidently with patients and other health professionals about pharmacology and therapeutics. Topics that will be covered include principles of drug action; pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics; administration of drugs to the eye; absorption and penetration through the cornea; mechanisms of drug elimination and metabolism; autonomic innervation of the eye; miotics, mydriatics and cycloplegics; drugs used in systemic and central conditions and their consequence to ocular function; drugs used in ocular conditions; local anaesthetics, anti-inflammatory drugs, antihistamines, anti-infective agents and drugs used in the treatment of glaucoma.

A 1-hour written examination held mid-semester (20%); a 2-hour written examination in the examination period (80%).