Specialist Certificate in the Management of Contact Lens Patients

The Specialist Certificate in the Management of Contact Lens Patients offered by the Department of Optometry & Vision Sciences in the School of Health Sciences is designed to provide optometrists with the opportunity to extend their capabilities in contact lens practice.

Optometrists will explore contemporary evidence-based information regarding common in-practice contact lens issues including:

use of clinical grading scales;

contact lens discomfort;

microbiology and infection associated with contact lens wear;

and the impact of new materials, lens designs and solutions.

Optometrists will also extend their knowledge in advanced contact lens fitting techniques such as:

toric rigid lens fitting;

contact lenses for keratoconus;

orthokeratology and the fitting of contact lenses after corneal surgery.

Course structure

Subject Level - 9

Subject Title - Management of Contact Lens Patients (formerly OPTO90009 Advanced Contact Lens Management)

Points - 25

Compulsory

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applications must have completed:

• a four-year undergraduate degree in Optometry, or equivalent or:
• professional experience deemed by the Selection Committee to be equivalent to a four-year Australian degree in Optometry

Meeting this requirement does not guarantee selection

1. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

• prior academic performance; and, if relevant
• any documented relevant professional experience.

1. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instructions.

1. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applications seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to providingsupport to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website. http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this course the students should have:

• advanced knowledge and skills in their selected fields of clinical optometry;
• a detailed knowledge in the use and application of specific advanced diagnostic techniques and/or instrumentation;
• an advanced ability to evaluate and synthesize research from the scientific and clinical literature;
• an appreciation of the value of, and the ability to achieve, collaboration with other healthcare professionals as an effective means to aid clinical problem-solving;
• the capacity to interpret and integrate information from a variety of sources (such as patient presentation details, advanced diagnostic techniques, scientific, clinical and technical literature, and other healthcare professionals), in the development of the most appropriate patient management;
• the ability and initiative to offer enhanced clinical services based on their in-depth study in selected fields of clinical optometry;
• have advanced their clinical skills and developed a flexibility of outlook such that they are better able to respond to future paradigm shifts in the scope of optometric management.