655-520 Specialist Optometry Practice

This subject is only available to BOptom students.

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

Optometry 655-510 and 655-540.

This subject provides a detailed account of three aspects of specialty optometric practice: contact lenses, pediatrics and low vision. This subject is aimed at providing students with a thorough background in the clinical aspects of contact lens practice. Students will gain experience in all aspects of contact lens practice including: fitting of soft and hard lenses, care of contact lenses, and complications associated with contact lens wear. Students will also gain experience in the more advanced aspects of contact lens fitting and care including fitting of lenses for specific eye conditions such as keratoconus, presbyopia and following corneal surgery. Students will gain a detailed understanding of the theory of binocular vision and its clinical assessment. The principal theories of childhood development and visual information processing will be covered and how to tailor a consultation to the optometric evaluation of children. Models of the accommodation-convergence system and associated disorders and the clinical management of sensory and motor aspects of strabismus. The third component (low vision), will provide a detailed account of the causes of visual loss within developed and underdeveloped countries; management of the low vision patient with respect to psychological considerations, optical and non-optical visual aids; multi-disciplinary approach to the rehabilitation of the low vision patient. The clinical component will encompass both demonstrations of the different techniques available for the management of the contact lens, pediatric or low vision patient with direct patient contact within a clinical environment. The emphasis is placed on students' ability to build a rapport with their patient, practice technical skills, relating clinical findings with symptoms and consideration of management options.

Progressive assessment of clinical work throughout the year (30%); practical skills tests, written clinical reports (6 reports of 2000 words each) and oral examinations throughout the year (20%); a 3-hour written examination in the second semester examination period (50%). Satisfactory completion of all assessment components is necessary to pass the subject.

• AA Rosenbloom & MW Morgan, Principles and Practice of Pediatric Optometry. JB Lippincott Co, Philadelphia, 1990 (or later edition).
• PB Freeman & RT Jose, The Art and Practice of Low Vision. Butterworth-Heinemann, Boston, 1997 (or later edition).
• N Efron (ed), Contact Lens Practice. Butterworth-Heinemann, 2002 (or later edition).