Free CPD courses presented by Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA) have been described by optometrists as “high quality”, “very informative” and “highly recommended”.
The Government-funded courses on age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic eye disease (DED) have received Optometry Australia Institute of Excellence Quality Assurance and positive reviews from practitioners.
They are available now through mieducation.com and MDFA website (www.mdfoundation.com.au/healthcare-education-program).
Having completed the modules optometrists Pauline Xu from the University of Western Australia and Alison Abdullah from Lens Avenue in Sydney shared their experiences.
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
“The course provides participants with education on how to examine and diagnose AMD using multimodal imaging (beyond coloured fundus photography), the Beckman classification, and the evidence-based management strategies for each stage of AMD,” said Ms Xu. “It also offers helpful tips to engage with AMD patients, understand the review cycle and referral urgency, demystify the use of nutritional supplementations, and appreciate the collaborative care pathway to support your AMD patients.”
For Ms Xu, highlights were clinical scenarios simulating real-life cases that test diagnostic skills and management. “When I put my educator hat on, I also appreciate the references provided in the course. It gives me a level of confidence that the content delivered is of high quality,” she said.
“There are a lot of new research activities in this space and it’s not easy to keep up to date as a busy clinician. This course did a good job summarising the upcoming treatments that we could potentially look forward to.”
She concluded, “The content is evidence-based, current, practical, and relevant to optometrists. The modules are well organised and divided into bite-sized lessons to provide instant feedback. This course also incorporated the patient’s perspective, rarely represented in traditional CPD programs.”
DIABETIC EYE DISEASE
Ms Abdullah said the course on diabetic eye disease was a great refresher and provided her with new information that she uses daily.
“Most importantly, this course provided me with an updated arsenal of information to better assist and inform my patients with diabetes on the most relevant referral times, treatment options, and review times,” she said. “The module quiz at the end of each topic provided a great review of everything learnt…. It’s the perfect way to revise in an easy test format, which can be repeated without penalty up to three times.”
