The Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences at the University of Melbourne, will run a 2018 ‘Myopia Management MasterClass’ from 1–2 September. Building on the success of its 2017 program, this interactive, weekend course will provide optometrists with evidence based clinical skills that can be applied to enhance the clinical care provided to young patients with myopia.
Myopia is well recognised as a potentially sight threatening condition, with increasing global prevalence. In the year 2000, about 23 per cent of the world’s population was myopic and 2.7 per cent had high myopia. It has been predicted that by 2050, these statistics will rise to 49.8 per cent and 9.8 per cent respectively (Holden et al., 2015). There is an evolving evidence base relating to interventions that have the potential to slow down the rate of myopia progression during childhood. Understanding how to critically analyse this research evidence and translate it into practice is essential to ensuring patients receive best practice care.
Course coordinator and lead, Dr. Laura Downie, said the ‘Myopia Management Masterclass’ will provide practical insight into contemporary myopia management, by integrating clinical cases with the relevant research literature. It will provide clinicians with the skills necessary to navigate through the scientific literature, as relevant to myopia, and provide attendees with practical take home messages to integrate within their own clinical practice. The course is designed for optometrists seeking to further their expertise in this practice area.
Topic areas to be covered include:
‘Myopia Management Masterclass’ will provide practical insight into contemporary myopia management
• Myopia global picture (e.g., epidemiology, public health implications)
• Ocular complications of myopia
• Evidence based approach to myopia diagnosis and management
• Discussing childhood myopia management with adult care-givers
• In-depth consideration of clinical evidence for myopia management, including interventions such as spectacles, contact lenses, pharmaceutical agents
• Myopia clinical case studies
• Orthokeratology practice.
The program comprises a combination of didactic lecturing and interactive collaborative case study based activities, as well as a practical, ‘hands on’ workshop focussing on the fundamentals of orthokeratology contact lens fitting. Participants will have the opportunity to evaluate orthokeratology lens fittings, interpret corneal topography and discuss the outcomes of lens fittings, with experienced mentors to guide them.
The ‘Myopia Management MasterClass’ will take place on September 1–2 at the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville. Up to 36 CPD points (18 of these being therapeutic) are expected to be available upon successful completion of the short course. The course will be led by Dr. Laura Downie, with guest facilitators Tim Fricke, Russell Lowe and Tim Martin.
For further details contact Alexis Beaumont, email [email protected], or phone 03 9035 3480.