Specialist Optometry Practice

Subject 655-520 (2008)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2008.Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 25.000
Level: Undergraduate
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2008:

, - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 24 hours of lectures, 24 hours of tutorials and no less than 200 hours of clinical work and clinical demonstrations. Students are rostered to attend the specialty clinics of the Victorian College of Optometry including the Kooyong Low Vision Clinic, throughout the prescribed clinical year
Total Time Commitment: Not available
Prerequisites: Optometry 655-422, 655-430, 655-442 and 655-462.
Corequisites: Optometry 655-510 and 655-540.
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements: It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable steps will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the University’s programs. Students who feel their disability may impact upon their active and safe participation in a subject are encouraged to discuss this with the relevant subject coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.

Coordinator

Prof N McBrien; Ms A Cochrane
Subject Overview:

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; multidisciplinary 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.

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

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Notes:

This subject is only available to Bachelor of Optometry students.

Related Course(s): Bachelor of Optometry

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