OPB556 Ocular Examination Skills 1

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit introduces the theory and practical skills of techniques for examining patients' eyes and assessing visual functions. Subjective and objective techniques of assessing visual status are learned. The skills necessary to communicate with patients are introduced. The unit builds on prior knowledge in visual science, ophthalmic optics and communication skills.

This is a designated unit which is essential to your course progression. Designated units include professional experience units, units requiring the development of particular skills, and units requiring demonstration of certain personal qualities. If you fail to achieve a satisfactory level of performance in a designated unit, you may be excluded from enrolment or will be put on academic probation. If you fail a designated unit twice within your course, you may be excluded. Supplementary assessment is not available on designated units.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Describe and apply the theory of techniques for assessing vision function;
2. Employ practical skills in examining students with the clinical techniques introduced;
3. Identify and demonstrate the necessary communication skills in performing clinical techniques;
4. Synthesise, at an initial level, clinical information in order to manage patient's visual problems.

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit is taught through lectures, tutorials, practical work, digital media, case reports and observation of your management as a patient presenting to the Optometry Clinic. You will learn how to perform techniques in practical sessions conducted in a clinical environment, acting as both optometrist and patient during the sessions. The practical work is conducted in small groups in clinical settings, and the techniques learnt in this unit will be put into practice with patients in the Master of Optometry Degree. Because optometry practice requires you to deal with people of all backgrounds, you will be required to practice your skills with classmates of different backgrounds The unit's online website includes study materials and activities to aid your learning.

As part of practical training students must have an eye examination at the QUT health clinics and reflect on the experience from the patient's perspective. 

As part of the lecture programme Indigenous perspectives will be addressed in the context of cultural safety and the Queensland Health system, and case history taking.

As part of the practical programme  you will demonstrate your skills and history taking on people with diverse backgrounds. 

The unit requires students to be able to satisfactorily perform a range of clinical skills critical to the practice of optometry in order to complete the unit and progress through the course. These are core skills of the optometry profession and it is expected that students will master the ability to do them in a professional manner and in appropriate timeframes for the good flow of an optometric eye exam. Student will be expected to master the use of computer-based eye charts and understand the principals of electronic record keeping. 

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Formative assessment will include feedback on the development of your clinical and communication skills in clinical procedures through the practical sessions, and through discussion of examples of problem solving for clinical case based problems during lectures, tutorials and case reports. Practice examination questions and model answers are discussed in lectures. 

Written summative feedback is provided on practical skills as part of practical examination of clinical skills learned, with information given about how students performed against set criteria and areas for potential improvement. 

Assessment

Overview

There are 2 pieces of summative assessment in this unit.

1. Practical examination involves assessment of learned clinical skills performed on a person acting as patient. This assesses unit learning objectives 2 and 3 involving the use of practical skills and communication in eye exams.

2. Final Central examination, short answer and problem solving at the end of semester. This assesses unit learning objectives 1 and 4 involving the understanding of theory of examination techniques and the synthesis of clinical information. 

For professional accreditation, students must be able to plan and undertake a patient-centred examination of the eye and visual system, consistent with the Entry-Level Competency Standards for Optometry.  To pass this unit students must show satisfactory performance on each of these assessment items which is a mark =>50%. Students will be eligible for one reattempt at the minimum pass level, only when their achieved mark is 40-49% for this assessment item. Students are advised to seek feedback on their performance from the unit coordinator prior to the reattempt. Students will not be eligible for a reattempt if their overall grade in the unit is a failing grade. 

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Examination (practical)

Technical and clinical skills assessment. These are station assessments of clinical skills conducted in the final 2 practical sessions of semester. You will demonstrate clinical skills learned in practical sessions on other students acting as patients. 

Threshold Assessment:

The clinical skills assessed in practical assessment are essential for practice as an optometrist.  

For professional accreditation, students must be able to plan and undertake a patient-centred examination of the eye and visual system, consistent with the Entry-Level Competency Standards for Optometry.  To pass this unit students must show satisfactory performance on each of these assessment items which is a mark =>50%. Students will be eligible for one reattempt at the minimum pass level, only when their achieved mark is 40-49% for this assessment item. Students are advised to seek feedback on their performance from the unit coordinator prior to the reattempt. Students will not be eligible for a reattempt if their overall grade in the unit is a failing grade. 

Assessment: Examination (theory)

This will include a range of short answer and extended response questions pertaining to the theory and application of clinical procedures, and the solving of clinically related problems using case based examples.

Threshold Assessment:

Optometrists need to understand the theory of the skills they use in practice and need to interpret the results of those procedures. Understanding the theory gives the ability to upgrade skills as procedures and equipment changes.  

For professional accreditation, students must be able to plan and undertake a patient-centred examination of the eye and visual system, consistent with the Entry-Level Competency Standards for Optometry.  To pass this unit students must show satisfactory performance on each of these assessment items which is a mark =>50%. Students will be eligible for one reattempt at the minimum pass level, only when their achieved mark is 40-49% for this assessment item. Students are advised to seek feedback on their performance from the unit coordinator prior to the reattempt. Students will not be eligible for a reattempt if their overall grade in the unit is a failing grade. 

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Elliot DB (2020). Clinical Procedures in Primary Eye Care (5th edition). Elsevier 

Risk Assessment Statement

This unit will involve practice of clinical techniques on fellow students. High standards of hygiene and safe practices will be required. You will be informed of relevant Standard Operating Procedures of the School of Clinical Sciences as they pertain to this unit.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

Entry-Level Competency Standards for Optometry 2014

1: Professional Responsibilities

1. 
   Relates to: Examination (theory)

2: Communication and Patient History

1. 
   Relates to: Examination (practical)
2. 
   Relates to: Examination (practical)

3: Patient Examination

1. 
   Relates to: Examination (practical)
2. 
   Relates to: Examination (practical)

4: Diagnosis and Management

1. 
   Relates to: Examination (theory)

5: Health Information Management

1. 
   Relates to: Examination (practical)

Course Learning Outcomes

OP45 Bachelor of Vision Science

1. Apply scientific knowledge and core skills of vision science and optometry.
   Relates to: Examination (practical), Examination (theory)
2. Conduct effective ethical, culturally safe, and evidence-based clinical and technical ocular assessments that include data collection and experimental protocols.
   Relates to: Examination (practical)
3. Employ effective communication technique/s using a range of oral, written and digital formats culturally and ethically responsive to the needs of diverse audiences and settings that meet professional standards.
   Relates to: Examination (practical)
4. Practice as an inclusive, collaborative and reflective professional with capacity to develop resilience, interprofessionalism, and commitment to sustainability goals.
   Relates to: Examination (practical)