OPTO8005 Optometry 2

This topic has three areas of focus: low vision, occupational optometry, business aspects of optometry and research project.

The low vision teaching covers the following content areas:

• Measuring visual performance
• Multidisciplinary approaches to low vision care
• Strategies for improving visual performance
• Aids for field loss
• Training patients

The occupational optometry teaching covers the following content areas:

• Australian standards for optical devices
• Vision standards for differing professions
• Visual performance and efficiency in the workplace
• Performing workplace site inspections
• Writing professional reports

As part of the occupational optometry intensive students will break into groups and visit varied workplaces and perform assessments.

This topic builds on the fundamental optometry knowledge and skills students have acquired in preceding semesters. Coupled with continued clinical training, this topic enables the building of advanced skills and knowledge in the areas of low vision, and occupational optometry. This will empower students to engage broadly in low vision assessment and management including in multi-disciplinary care. Students will study occupational optometry and learn how to plan, organise occupational health and safety assessments of workplaces and write relevant reports. In the latter two intensives of the semester, students will undertake further group work on their research project finalising their datasets and drafting manuscripts for journal submission. An intensive covering therapeutic management of ocular disease.

1. Construct a low vision assessment, create an appropriate management plan for patients with low vision disorders and recommend suitable vision aids for low vision
2. Design and implement an occupational, sports or workplace vision assessment setting and recommend suitable vision aids for occupational/sports vision purposes
3. Investigate and evaluate colour vision anomalies and analyse these in the context of colour vision standards for each profession
4. Critically analyse research data and construct data analysis plan
5. Analyse appropriate ocular therapeutic interventions for selected diseases of the eye