Just four weeks to go until Optometry Tomorrow 2008!

With just four weeks to go until Optometry Tomorrow 2008 the College of Optometrists is urging delegates to book now to avoid disappointment.

Leading figures from the profession will be presenting a series of lectures and workshops at the Optometry Tomorrow conference, taking place at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London from 12 – 13 April 2008.

Delegates will be able to earn up to 16 CET points over the two day programme and can opt to attend for one day or both days.

Highlights from the programme include:

• Detecting glaucoma in the community (Mr Ian Murdoch) This lecture will stress how detection can be further improved and highlight practical steps in detection and refinement.
• Migraine & the optometrist; taking the headache out of the headache patient (Professor Bruce Evans) will provide delegates with the information necessary to diagnose migraine, understand the role of visual factors in headaches and treat headaches of optometric origin.
• Delegates will enhance their understanding of the evaluation and diagnosis of corneal disease, learning more about the different treatment options and recognising when to refer with Anterior segment management (Mr Andrew Morrell)
• Binocular Vision (Ms Chris Timms) will help delegates to understand the basis of normal BV and develop their understanding of a range of BV abnormalities, improving their ability to investigate both adults and children with abnormal BV.
• The Ocular therapeutics grand rounds lecture will encourage delegates to make the leap from detection of abnormality to diagnosis, demonstrating how to formulate management plans for a range of cases.
• The EmedInfo workshop will demonstrate a new computer resource to support the effective use of diagnostic and therapeutic drugs by optometrists (shortly to be made available free of charge to College Members). EmedInfo serves to raise awareness of ocular adverse reactions of both ophthalmic and systemic medication; this workshop will present an overview of the software’s key features, demonstrating practical ways to use the programme in practice.
• Delegates will learn how to improve their record keeping with Legislation, regulations and controls within the profession, this workshop will help delegates to evaluate how their current practice activities comply with regulatory requirements and will look at real life examples of what can, and has, gone wrong.
• How to improve paediatric referrals will help delegates to manage refractive error in paediatric practice. Delegates are encouraged to bring your own examples of cases where you were unsure whether to refer or how to manage

The lecture/seminar programme is complemented by a series of workshop to enable delegates to improve their hands on, clinical skills. Clinical skills sessions not to be missed include:

• Analysis and interpretation of retinal diseases Dr William Jones will help delegates to develop a better understanding of retinal diseases and the peripheral retina. This small clinical skills workshop will give delegates practical experience of capturing, reviewing and interpreting retinal images, delegates will develop a clear understanding of retinal manifestations of systemic disease.
• Due to popular demand we have introduced a third Removal of foreign objects workshop from 2pm – 3pm on Saturday 12 April. Malcolm McPherson and Sarah Farrant will help delegates to understand when to treat and when to refer. Risk, patient safety and legal implications will be highlighted and delegates will have the opportunity to practise technique with animal eyes.
• Structure and Function, RNFL analysis and stereo optic disc assessment (Mr Peter Galloway) will help delegates to understand the role of RNFL measurement in the detection and management of glaucoma, giving practical experience of capturing and interpreting stereoscopic optic disc images and RNFL thickness measurements.
• Optical Coherence Tomography (Donald Cameron) will exhibit examples of the diagnostic dilemmas frequently encountered in practice, comparing and contrasting other methods of examination and demonstrating the clinical value of the equipment. Delegates will get hands on experience of using the technique, described by one delegate in 2007 as “mind blowing!â€?

Kevin Lewis, President of the College of Optometrists said “we aim to deliver an exciting and interesting clinical conference that will really help delegates to expand their knowledge and develop their clinical skills. We’re covering a very broad range of topics and the conference offers something for everyone, wherever they practise and whatever their preferred learning style. I would urge delegates to book now for this event to avoid disappointment!�

For further information please contact Ellen Colquhoun, Marketing Communications Manager on +44 (0) 20 7766 4342

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