655-510 General Optometry Practice

This subject is only available to BOptom students.

Optometry 655-422, 655-430, 655-442 and 655-462.

On completion of this subject, students will have a broad and strong command of their knowledge of the disorders of vision and their management; have developed a very high level of skill with optometric procedures and will be competent in the identification, diagnosis and resolution of patient visual problems. They will also be skilled in patient communication. The core of the subject is the examination and treatment of patients in the general clinics of the Victorian College of Optometry, including clinics based in Community Health centres at Broadmeadows, Darebin and Sunshine throughout the prescribed clinical year. In addition, lectures and tutorials will provide detailed information on professional ethics and practice management and general medicine with emphasis on those systemic diseases with ocular manifestations and the diagnosis and management of abnormal colour vision. Students are also required to dispense a proportion of the spectacle prescriptions they write during their attendance at clinics and complete other dispensing assignments.

Progressive assessment of clinical work throughout the year (40%); practical skills tests, written clinical reports (5 reports of 2000 words each) and oral examinations throughout the year (25%); a 3-hour written examination in the second semester examination period (35%). Satisfactory completion of all three components of assessment is necessary to pass the subject.

A reading list will be provided.