OPN162 Contact Lens Practice
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | OPN162 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | $1,164 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,432 |
| International unit fee | $4,620 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | OPN162 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Coordinator: | Michael Collins | m.collins@qut.edu.au |
Overview
Contact lenses are an important clinical option for the correction of refractive errors of the eye. This unit lays the foundation for the development of your knowledge and skills in contact lens clinical practice, which you will build upon in future didactic and clinical units in the course.
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:
- Apply knowledge and explain the relative clinical merits of various contact lens materials, lens types and designs, lens care regimes and the appropriate hygiene practices for patients and optometrists
- Perform the appropriate clinical tests to determine a patient's suitability for contact lenses, fit, assess and dispense a patient with appropriate contact lenses
- Formulate management plans for contact lens clinical scenarios.
Content
This unit covers the foundational knowledge and skills required for contact lens practice. You will be given the relevant knowledge and skills to acquire appropriate clinical information from a patient, prescribe contact lenses safely and effectively, develop an appropriate patient management and treatment plan, record all relevant information, and communicate clearly and professionally with a patient and colleagues. You will gain experience in using digital devices relevant to contact lens fitting and the assessment of corneal topography. You will also learn about sustainability initiatives in contact lens clinical practice and the industry.
Learning Approaches
This unit will be comprised of lectures by the staff of the school, guest lectures by specialist contact lens practitioners, tutorials and hands-on practical sessions. Lecturers will use numerous case-based examples of clinical situations to develop your understanding of analytical thinking and problem solving. Practical sessions will provide the opportunity for you to develop clinical skills, digital skills in the use of clinical instrumentation and analytical skills with direct and immediate summative feedback from qualified optometrists. A collection of digital videos of clinical skills and the use of clinical instruments are available in the Media Gallery to help your learning of the clinical skills and your understanding of the digital aspects of contact lens clinical instrumentation.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will gain feedback individual feedback on your proficiency with a range of clinical contact lens skills from the supervising optometrists and peers in this unit by participating in practical classes and tutorials.
You will gain formative feedback from undertaking the online quizzes in Canvas.
You will receive written feedback on your mid-semester assessment and final assessment.
Assessment
Overview
There are 3 assessment items in this unit.
Satisfactory performance in the end of semester examination is a condition for passing this unit.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Mid-semester examination
A series of case-based scenarios requiring the integration of the knowledge of patient examination techniques, contact lenses and the prescription of contact lenses will be used to assess your performance. This will include patient examination, treatment and management scenarios related to contact lens clinical practice. Scenarios will typically include images of clinical signs or conditions to assess clinical diagnosis and management knowledge in solving case based problems. These problem solving tasks evaluate your knowledge of contact lens patient care, analytical thinking, problem solving, and understanding of communication skills (with patients and other health care professionals). Questions will be multiple choice or short answer style.
Assessment: Clinical Skills Demonstration
Practical classes include individual student formative and summative feedback on proficiency with a range of clinical skills and critical thinking skills related to contact lens practice. You will be required to complete a range of clinical skills assessments relevant to the fitting and dispensing of contact lenses.
Assessment: End of semester examination
The end of semester theory examination is a written examination and includes questions requiring your integration of the knowledge developed in the unit. This will include patient examination, treatment and management scenarios related to contact lens clinical practice. Scenarios will typically require clinical diagnosis and management knowledge in solving case-based problems. These problem-solving tasks evaluate your knowledge of contact lens patient care, analytical thinking, problem solving, and understanding of communication skills (with patients and other health care professionals). Questions will be extended response questions, some requiring optical calculations.
Threshold Assessment:
Satisfactory performance in this assessment item is a condition for passing this unit. For professional accreditation, appropriate knowledge of contact lens principles to inform prescribing of optical appliances safely and effectively, consistent with the Entry-Level Competency Standards for Optometry, is required. You will be eligible for one reattempt, if your mark is within 40-49% of the pass level. You will not be eligible for a reattempt if your overall grade in the unit is a failing grade. You are advised to seek feedback on your performance from the unit coordinator prior to the reattempt.
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)
OPN162 Contact Lens Studies, Practical Notes. Brisbane: QUT Publication (revised annually)
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with 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
Relates to: Mid-semester examination, Clinical Skills Demonstration, End of semester examination
Relates to: Mid-semester examination, Clinical Skills Demonstration, End of semester examination
Relates to: Mid-semester examination, Clinical Skills Demonstration, End of semester examination
Relates to: Mid-semester examination, Clinical Skills Demonstration, End of semester examination
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.OP85 Master of Optometry
- Synthesise complex optometric knowledge, cognitive, clinical and technical skills and research methodology in vision science.
Relates to: Mid-semester examination, Clinical Skills Demonstration, End of semester examination - Reflect and apply critical thinking and researchable questions to generate solutions to complex conditions in clinical and research settings.
Relates to: Mid-semester examination, Clinical Skills Demonstration, End of semester examination - Assess and diagnose patients using proficient clinical skills and evidence-based practice that result in culturally safe and effective management plans.
Relates to: Clinical Skills Demonstration