After a three-year hiatus, the Australian College of Optometry’s (ACO) clinical workshops are returning with a focus on anterior eye at the first workshop in Carlton on 16 July.
The ACO said the workshops will address the current needs of the profession, as identified with input from optometrists, with two half-day sessions dedicated to recent developments in dry eye management and the practical skills required to enhance orthokeratology management.
“The expert-led workshops are designed to deliver practical, relevant insights for immediate implementation to advance practitioners’ patient care. Optometrists can choose to attend the full day or choose a half-day workshop targeting their specific area of clinical interest,” the ACO said.
The ACO has engaged with subject matter experts to lead both workshops to ensure impactful learnings for participants.
Dr Leigh Plowman, optometrist and founder of the Dry Eye Directory, Ms Varny Ganesalingam, lead of the ACO dry eye disease clinic, and Ms Laura De Angelis, optometrist and ACO clinical education coordinator, will lead the morning session designed as an update on recent developments in the diagnosis, classification and tailored management of dry eye.
Face-to-face lectures are complimented by a two-hour hands-on practical session to refine and develop new skills, including evaluating meibomian gland dysfunction and exploring treatment options such as the Lipiflow and Lumenis IPL treatment systems. This session attracts 4.5T (2Ti) CPD hours.
In the afternoon session an orthokeratology led by speciality lens fitting expert, Mr Richard Vojlay, optometrists will learn how to select and fit orthokeratology lenses using the popular Paragon inventory lens fitting and learn insights from valuable real-life cases for a successful initial fit.
Online lectures from Mr Philip Cheng, orthokeratology and myopia expert, and Mr Alex Petty, contact lens specialist and orthokeratologist, will be accessible in advance of the workshop to build on optometrists’ knowledge base with expert tips on patient selection, lens fitting and troubleshooting to maximise learning opportunities in the skills-based workshop. This session has been accredited for 4.5 (1.25T 2i) CPD hours.
“With growing interest in dry eye and orthokeratology, the ACO has worked in consultation with our members and leading industry experts to develop a series of clinical workshops that enable optometrists to develop their expertise and practical skills in these fast-developing areas,” De Angelis said.
“These workshops are designed for optometrists seeking to further their expertise in the growing fields of dry eye and orthokeratology and will equip attendees with the knowledge and practical skills to enhance their level of patient care.”
The full course program is available at www.aco.org.au/dryeye-orthok-workshops/.
Optometrists can register online at www.trybooking.com.
Attendance at each half-day workshop is AU$200 for ACO members, and AU$280 for non-members. Full day tickets are available at AU$350 for ACO members, and AU$450 for non-members.
The upcoming dry eye and orthokeratology clinical workshops are the latest in-person professional development programs designed and delivered by the ACO to support optometrists further their knowledge and practical skills in line with emerging patient trends and the most-up-to-date clinical evidence.
It also provides certificate courses and a monthly online seminar series, for ACO members only, to support optometrists to deepen their knowledge and broaden their patient eyecare services.
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