OPTO3001 Knowledge of Health and Illness for Optometrists

This topic will introduce you to ocular disease and its diagnosis, management, and underlying pathophysiology. Using a team-based learning approach, this topic supports students to integrate existing knowledge from ocular anatomy, ocular therapeutics and visual science, into clinical practice. Each module will cover a different clinical presentation: refractive error, cataract, dry eye, ocular neoplasia, neuro-ophthalmology, red eye, autoimmune disease, vitreoretinal disease, bacterial keratitis, viral keratitis, age-related macular degeneration, and retinal dystrophies.

• Introduce students to some of the main ophthalmic diseases, their pathophysiology and management
• Apply and integrate knowledge of ocular anatomy and visual science, to optometry practice and clinical reasoning

1. Relate the development and ageing of the eye to refractive error changes throughout the lifespan
2. Formulate an optometric management plan for ocular diseases
3. Appraise the clinical evidence for practice and justify your choice of clinical management
4. Integrate your knowledge of ocular anatomy with the underlying pathophysiology of disease processes
5. Discuss and develop a communication strategy for your patient and allied health professionals to explain your findings and management of ocular disease
6. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of therapeutic agents in managing ocular diseases