OPN262 Advanced Eye Care 2

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit begins clinical practice in the specialist areas of contact lens practice, binocular vision, and low vision. Students will begin development of clinical case management and problem solving strategies in these specialist areas of clinical practice. They will also develop higher level clinical examination techniques, reinforcing and refining clinical skills developed in the previous specialist clinical units in these areas.

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. Competently perform the clinical optometry skills required in the specialist areas of contact lens practice, binocular vision, and low vision rehabilitation.
2. Plan problem-specific eye examinations in areas of specialist optometric practice, and implement these in a technically competent manner;
3. Design treatment and management plans for patients under your care in the areas of specialist optometric practice;
4. Communicate effectively with other health care professionals.

Content

Learning Approaches

Development of clinical skills in the specialist areas of contact lenses, binocular vision, and vision rehabilitation under the supervision of qualified optometrists. You will use technology to generate clinical solutions e.g. using anterior segment imaging in contact lens fitting. Practice of clinical skills in these areas will be supported by tutorials with emphasis placed on case management and problem solving, differential diagnoses, with reference to evidence-based clinical management strategies in these areas of practice.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Specialist clinical skills are assessed in both a formative way to provide feedback regarding the development of technical skills during practical sessions, and in a summative way towards the end of the unit. Clinical skills competency assessments and summative assessment of clinical skills and management strategies must each be passed to complete the unit, and repeat (supplementary) assessment will be undertaken until the required competency is demonstrated. Skills competency assessment and assessment of patient management strategies may include an oral examination component, slide exams, written reports, and final written exams. Formative feedback on your development of skills in designing patient management strategies and solving clinical problems will also be provided through case discussions in practical sessions.

Assessment

Overview

Specialist clinical skills are assessed in both a formative way to provide feedback regarding the development of technical skills during practical sessions, and in a summative way towards the end of the unit. Clinical skills competency assessments and summative assessment of clinical skills and management strategies must each be passed to complete the unit, and repeat (supplementary) assessment will be undertaken until the required competency is demonstrated. Skills competency assessment and assessment of patient management strategies may include an oral examination component, slide exams, written reports, and final written exams. Formative feedback on your development of skills in designing patient management strategies and solving clinical problems will also be provided through case discussions in practical sessions.

The unit requires students to demonstrate satisfactory performance of a range of clinical skills critical to the practice of optometry in these areas of clinical practice in order to complete the unit and progress through the course.

Satisfactory performance in each of the assessment items is a condition for passing this unit.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Clinical skills assessments

As a student optometrist, your advanced clinical skills will be examined, assessing technical ability and the ability to communicate instructions in a patient care setting. Skills examined will be techniques of investigation and/or treatment in specialty areas, performed on fellow students in the Optometry Clinic.

Threshold Assessment:

Satisfactory performance in this assessment item is a condition for passing this unit. For professional accreditation, demonstration of safe clinical practice and performance consistent with the Entry-Level Competency Standards for Optometry is required. You will be eligible for one reattempt at the minimum pass level, only when your achieved mark is within 40-49% of the pass level. You are advised to seek feedback on your performance from the unit coordinator prior to the reattempt. You will not be eligible for a reattempt if your overall grade in the unit is a failing grade.

Assessment: End of Semester Examination

Written end of semester multiple choice examination. This will focus on your technical knowledge of contact lens practice, binocular vision, and low vision rehabilitation including the diagnosis and management of clinical scenarios.

Threshold Assessment:

Satisfactory performance in this assessment items is a condition for passing this unit. For professional accreditation, appropriate knowledge of management and problem solving strategies in these specialist areas of clinical practice to inform patient management, consistent with the Entry-Level Competency Standards for Optometry, is required. You will be eligible for one reattempt at the minimum pass level, only when your achieved mark is within 40-49% of the pass level. You are advised to seek feedback on your performance from the unit coordinator prior to the reattempt. You will not be eligible for a reattempt if your 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.

Requirements to Study

Blue Card

A blue card is required to complete this unit. A blue card confirms that you have passed a screening of your criminal history (the Working with Children Check) and have been approved to work with children and young people. For more information on the blue card and how to apply please visit the QUT website.

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

This unit will involve practice of clinical techniques on fellow students or people from the general public who present as patients to the QUT Optometry Clinic. High standards of hygiene and safe practices are required. You are required to be proficient in cardio- pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first-aid. You will be informed of relevant Standard Operating Procedures of the School of Optometry 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

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2: Communication and Patient History

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3: Patient Examination

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Course Learning Outcomes

OP85 Master of Optometry

1. Synthesise complex optometric knowledge, cognitive, clinical and technical skills and research methodology in vision science.
   Relates to: Clinical skills assessments, End of Semester Examination
2. Reflect and apply critical thinking and researchable questions to generate solutions to complex conditions in clinical and research settings.
   Relates to: Clinical skills assessments, End of Semester Examination
3. 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 assessments