Optometry Essentials Study Guide A resource for student and pre-registration optometrists 2021-22 Optometry Essentials Study Guide Introduction Specsavers' Optometry Essentials is the go-to guide for student and pre-reg optometrists – wherever you work. Focused on the College of Optometrists’ Scheme for Registration and your future evolution as a professional, it is the product of decades’ worth of study notes and insight from students, supervisors, assessors, examiners, practising optometrists and educators. Designed to complement your academic studies and practical work in-store, this comprehensive handbook provides the foundations you need to be successful in your assessments and in your career as a frontline eyecare practitioner. As well as up-to-the-minute clinical, practical and professional guidance, there are handy hints, reflective activities, and links to other useful resources and websites. By sharing our experience and expertise, we hope to make your training period as positive and productive as possible – and help you become the best practitioner you can be. Because that’s good for you. It’s good for the profession. And it’s good for patients. How to navigate around Optometry Essentials This navigable guide is organised into three sections and nine chapters. When viewed on-screen, click on any heading or sub-heading in the table of contents to go straight to that section. To go back, click on one of the headings at the top of the page e.g. < Binocular vision Section A Section B Section C Professional Clinical case Optical appliances assessment and management of and refractive record keeping ocular conditions management > Patient records and communication > Binocular vision > Visual impairment > Clinical refraction > Ocular disease and abnormality > Contact lenses > Ophthalmic investigative techniques > Use of diagnostic and therapeutic drugs > Spectacles and protective eyeware © 2019 Specsavers Ltd 5 © 2019 Specsavers Ltd 57 © 2019 Specsavers Ltd 145 2 © 2021 Specsavers Ltd Optometry Essentials Study Guide Your pre-registration period with Specsavers As the leading employer of pre-reg optometrists in the UK and Ireland, we are dedicated to helping you succeed in your pre-registration period (PRP) and beyond. Accept one of our 500 pre-reg placements, and you’ll receive the individual support of a practitioner-owned optical practice with the opportunities and professionalism you’d expect from a global company. Super supervision As well as being recognised by the College of Optometrists, our supervisors undergo in-house professional development to hone their coaching and mentoring skills. You’ll also benefit from working with a highly trained store team, and regular contact from our dedicated pre-reg team. Speak volumes Joining a community of hundreds of other Specsavers pre-reg optometrists means you'll never feel like you’re on your own. Plus, with access to the UK’s largest and most varied customer base, you’ll have no problem achieving your portfolio requirements for patient numbers. Interactive learning As well as your in-store induction and day-to-day learning, you’ll benefit from our unique optometrist development programmes focused on career, ambition and achievement, starting with our Pre-Reg Academy. You’ll also have access to our world-class CET programme and clinical conference events. PRE-REG EXCEL ASCEND ACADEMY career • ambition • achievement career • ambition • achievement HIGHER Excel – an interactive CET career • ambition • achievement Pre-reg Academy – a accredited workshop, which comprehensive series of Ascend Higher – a 3-point celebrates your achievement residential and on-line CET accredited workshop for at the end of the Scheme for courses across the year, led GOC registered Registration. After this and delivered by expert optometrists. This is devoted course you’ll be able to tutors, clinicians, assessors entirely to you and your transition confidently into and examiners. Preparing continual development after the next stage of your you for every stage of your qualification. career as a registered assessment and OSCE to optometrist. help you achieve and demonstrate continuing conscious competence. You’ll benefit from shared experiences every step of the way. ...continued © 2019 Specsavers Ltd 3 Optometry Essentials Study Guide Straight to the top Every Specsavers store is locally owned and led by its directors, usually an optometrist and a dispensing optician or retailer. Which means you get to know the directors personally – the optometrist director may even be your supervisor. Online professional network You can participate in clinical conversations and connect with thousands of experienced optometrists via our unique online network on Yammer. Easily accessible on your phone or tablet, there’s even a group just for pre-reg and newly qualified optometrists. Embracing technology Specsavers has lead the way in bringing hospital grade equipment to the high street with the rollout of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in every store and a comprehensive training programme to back it up. Which means you will have the very best diagnostic equipment at your fingertips. Advancing optometry services We're also actively engaging with every enhanced services scheme available across the UK and working with ophthalmology through investment in partnerships with ophthalmology providers such as Newmedica. As soon as you are qualified, you can be accredited to work in enhanced services. Indeed, you will be doing your Level 1 WOPEC accreditations as part of the PRP. Continuous development With so many development opportunities open to you, it’s an exciting time to be a Specsavers optometrist. Study for higher qualifications. Become a supervisor or WOPEC assessor. Work in a Newmedica specialist eye clinic. Volunteer for a charity. Or begin the pathway to own your own store as a joint venture partner – an opportunity unique to Specsavers. Do any or all of the above. The choice is yours. Let’s talk... Got any questions? Looking for opportunities with Specsavers? Contact our pre-reg team. We’d love to hear from you. Email: [email protected] Web: jobs.specsavers.co.uk 4 © 2021 Specsavers Ltd Section A Professional assessment and record keeping > Patient records and communication > Clinical refraction > Ophthalmic investigative techniques © 2021 Specsavers Ltd 5 < Section A Professional assessment and record keeping < Patient records and communication Patient records and communication 1. Core topics.................................................................................................................................................................................................................7 2. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................................7 3. Key issues: completing patient records in practice ..........................................8 3.1 Symptoms and history ...........................................................................................................................................................................................8 3.2 Ocular examination....................................................................................................................................................................................................9 3.3 Supplementary tests and examinations .............................................................................................................................................10 3.4 Prescription advice ..................................................................................................................................................................................................10 3.5 Clinical decisions/advice given/dispensing details ....................................................................................................................10 3.6 Follow-up .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................11 4. Key issues: law .................................................................................................................................................................................................11 4.1 NHS funded examinations ................................................................................................................................................................................12 4.2 Private eye examinations ..................................................................................................................................................................................12 4.3 Referral criteria............................................................................................................................................................................................................12 4.4 Driving standards ......................................................................................................................................................................................................12 5. Key issues: communication .........................................................................................................................................13 5.1 Taking a medical