The Australian College of Optometry’s (ACO) Certificate in Advanced Contact Lenses (CACL) will commence on 28 June. This six month online course was developed to meet the needs of practising optometrists by enhancing their understanding of contact lens practice and increasing competencies through theory and the development of appropriate skills.
An expert team of presenters from Australia and the UK will deliver lectures on a range of topics including soft and hard lenses; lens fitting; orthokeratology; miniscleral lenses; corneal grafts and prosthetic lenses.
I know that I had learnt all of this at university but to actually wrap my head around it and be able to apply the knowledge was excellent
Tristan Glover, ACO-CACL graduate, optometrist and manager at the ACO’s South Australian clinic Elizabeth Eye Care graduated the CACL course in 2018 and sings its praises. “Now managing a new optometry clinic, I don’t want to turn patients away. Having the rigid contact lens knowledge and now the confidence to fit a keratoconic is great,” he said.
“I chose to do this contact lens course as I wanted a way to differentiate myself from other optometrists who don’t feel comfortable fitting rigid contact lenses. By the end of the course, having an understanding of how to fit or change the fit of a rigid lens is very rewarding. I know that I had learnt all of this at university but to actually wrap my head around it and be able to apply the knowledge was excellent,” he continued.
The ACO-CACL offers a flexible remote learning structure ideal for rural or remote optometrists and those balancing work and other commitments. Candidates must be an optometry graduate and registered as an optometrist in Australia or New Zealand.
Applications are now open for the 2021 certificate course.
For more information, please visit: www.aco.org.au/certificate-in-advanced-contact-lenses/