Graduate Certificate in Recognizing and Co-managing Common Retinal Diseases

Programme Highlights

The Graduate Certificate in Recognizing and Co-Managing Common Retinal Diseases  is aimed at graduates with a degree in optometry, who are seeking to enhance the skills and confidence in examining and triaging patients with age-related retinal diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy (DR) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). By further developing optometrists’ expertise, we strive to improve patient access to community eye care.

This course offers a selection of carefully curated modules that will train optometrists in the community to take on bigger roles in more accurate detection and management of two main retinal diseases, DR and AMD. The increasing prevalence of these diseases, driven by an aging population, necessitates a sustainable, community-based clinical optometrist capacity that can be leveraged by the primary care sector.

This Graduate Certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of all modules and tests.

Who Should Attend

A course for OOB- registered Optometrists who hold an undergraduate degree or higher qualification.

Benefits of Attending

This course is meticulously designed to enhance the skills and confidence of optometrists in examining and triaging patients with age-related retinal diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy (DR) and age- related macular degeneration (AMD).

Trainer Profile

The faculty for the Graduate Certificate (GC) in Recognizing and Co-Managing Common Retinal Diseases includes highly qualified ophthalmologists with diverse subspecialties and clinical optometrists with advanced qualifications and extensive experience as community eye care clinicians 

Course Agenda

Module 1: Ocular Pharmacology for Clinical Optometry (2 weeks)

This module aims to provide a refresher course on the action, safe uses, side-effect, indication and contraindication of the following diagnostic agents commonly used in the ophthalmology clinics: 

1. Topical anaesthetics 
2. Mydriatics
3. Cycloplegics 

The module also aims to equip the students with the skills and knowledge to use topical anaesthetics, mydriatics and cycloplegics with confidence. 

Module 2: Advanced Clinical Techniques For Retinal Diseases  (5 weeks)

The module describes the overview of the advanced techniques used in modern tertiary health institution in the diagnosis of eye diseases. By the end of the module, students will be able to perform the following tests competently. 

1. Relative Afferent Pupillary Defect (RAPD) 
2. 78D Slit Lamp Biomicroscopy Binocular Indirect Ophthalmoscopy (SLM BIO) 
3. Interpretation of fundus photography and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) of the retinal diseases 

Module 3: Common Retinal & Symptomatic Posterior Eye Diseases (6 weeks)

This module provides clinical optometrists with a refresher on the etiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic methods and management strategies in particular DR and AMD. By the end of the lessons, students should be able to: 

1. Identify and differentiate patient symptoms and signs in different types of retinal and symptomatic posterior eye diseases especially on DR and AMD. 
2. Interpret clinical findings on patient’s signs and symptoms, and patient history and provide accurate diagnosis.
3. Recognise the importance of urgency in referral for each retinal diseased case.  
4. Monitor and manage the patient based on the duty of care of a community optometrist.
5. Summarise the findings in a referral letter for each referred case and suggest the course of action for further investigation.
6. Complete all the clinical cases required by the module.

*Learners must complete all 3 courses in order to be awarded the Graduate Certificate in Recognising and Co-Managing Common Retinal Diseases

Minimum Entry Requirements

The candidates must be fully registered with The Optometry and Opticianry Board (OOB) and have obtained at least one of the following qualifications.
(a) A recognised university degree or higher qualifications in optometry.
(b) Optometry degrees from any private universities run in Singapore before, such as Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Singapore Polytechnic-University of Manchester Optometry Degree Programme, Aston University external degree programme.
(c) Degrees in Life/Health Sciences but possess a valid practicing certificate in optometry and have at least two years of relevant experience.

Mode of Training

All the lectures are pre-recorded and uploaded onto Canvas for course participants to access at their convenient time (online asynchronous). Problem-based Small Group Learning (PBSGL) will be conducted synchronously online.

Course participants are required to attend the workshops and clinical attachments in-person.