Designed for optometrists, orthoptists, nurses and other allied ophthalmic health professionals, this module will deliver the knowledge and skills required for the examination, investigation, diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients who present in an ophthalmic emergency setting.
Entry requirements
BSc (Hons) in Optometry, Orthoptics or General Nursing. For nurses, evidence of ophthalmic speciality training is required and/or an ophthalmic post-graduate qualification i.e. PGCert Clinical Ophthalmic Practice or equivalent or OPT levels 1 and 2.
This course is equivalent to 15 post graduate credits.
The course structure
A combination of online and face-to-face learning with a mixture of interactive webinars, peer reviews, case discussion, online lectures, forum activities and the option to attend face-to-face days.
Students will be taught how to take a comprehensive history and symptoms in an ophthalmic emergency setting, understand the cranial nerve system, therapeutics as well as tests and investigations used in this setting. The course will cover ophthalmic emergencies of the anterior segment and globe, neuro-ophthalmic emergencies and paediatric emergencies.
This module has been mapped to the NHS England Advanced Clinical Practitioner and Royal College of Ophthalmologists Ophthalmic Practitioner Training (Level Three) Acute Curriculum Frameworks, on completion this can be used towards enhanced clinical practice and/or advanced clinical practice accreditation. Further information can be found on the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology website.
Learning hours made up of:
Assignments: 10 hours.
Forum activities: 9.5 hours.
Webinar sessions: 8 hours.
Assessments: 2.5 hours.
Research and self-directed study: 80 hours.
Online taught component
This will include online lessons, self-test activities, informal assessments and forum discussions. The online component will be delivered in the form of interactive lessons. You will have approximately three months to complete the online component.
At the end of each unit, you will be expected to carry out a self-test assessment or activity to reinforce what has been learned in that unit for which there will be instant feedback.
In addition to this, you will be required to produce a case assignment based on an ocular emergency that will be discussed on the online interactive day. You will be expected to spend approximately 40 hours studying the online component.
Face to face and online interactive webinars
Face to face lectures, patient case discussion sessions, tutorials, practical sessions and group case study discussions will form the content of the face-to-face day and online webinar days. This will be undertaken after the online component.
Self study
You will then get a few weeks after the face to face day to revise what you have learned during the online component and face to face day before undertaking the summative (formal) assessments.
Summative assessments(exams)
These will consist of a written exam made up of MCQs, patient management case scenarios in the form of key features, and visual recognition of clinical signs. Results of the summative assessment will be released within 6 weeks of the written exam.
Optometrists will also gain CPD points.
