Anterior Segment Workshop

Anterior Segment Workshop

Date: 29/09/2024 (AEST)

Venue: 374 Cardigan Street, Carlton, VIC, 3053

Provider: Australian College of Optometry

Contact: Shazia Tahseen, [E] cpd@aco.org.au, [P] 03 9349 7546

Activity Outline

This workshop will deliver a complete knowledge bank of clinical know-how in assessing, managing, and providing follow up care for foreign body presentations involving the cornea and conjunctiva. Fellowship trained corneal surgeon Dr Colby Hart will share his expertise with tips and techniques to safely and efficiently remove corneal and conjunctival foreign bodies, including supportive therapeutic management. This clinical instruction will be complimented by a two-hour practical skills workshop utilising a unique, non-animal-derived model eye (SimulEYE® epithelial removal model). Experienced clinicians including Dr Colby Hart will guide optometrists in mastering clinical techniques including collection of conjunctival swabs, corneal foreign body removal, and corneal epithelial debridement using equipment such as standard hypodermic needles and Alger brush among others.  

Learning Objectives

• Assess the cornea for different types of injury (superficial, full depth, penetrating beyond the cornea, associated microbial keratitis or intraocular inflammation) and triage for management with optometry or ophthalmology
• Understand the basic techniques for removal of corneal foreign bodies and rust rings, and selection of appropriate aids including sterile cotton bud, sterile needle, Alger brush, and managing the patient’s response to treatment
• Understand the assessment of conditions where corneal debridement might be necessary, and techniques for achieving corneal debridement including sterile cotton bud, sterile needle, bandage contact lens
• Select the appropriate topical ocular therapeutic agents including antibiotic coverage and appropriate lubrication therapy to facilitate efficient healing, and how to recognize and manage slow or incomplete healing responses
• Understand the assessment of self-origin foreign bodies on the cornea, such as mucus plugs and phlyctenules, and techniques for removal including sterile cotton bud
• Revision on the interpretation of corneal topography, including the various changes caused by injury and how to differentiate from other forms of corneal ectasia causing irregular astigmatism
• Assess the conjunctiva for different types of injury (superficial, extending beyond the conjunctiva, penetrating injury, associated keratoconjunctivitis or intraocular inflammation) and triage for management with optometry or ophthalmology
• Understand the basic techniques for removal of conjunctival foreign bodies, and selection appropriate aids including sterile cotton bud, sterile needle, and managing the patient’s response to treatment
• Select the appropriate topical ocular therapeutic agents including antibiotic coverage and appropriate lubrication therapy to facilitate efficient healing, and how to recognize and manage slow or incomplete healing responses
• Understand the indications, technique and subsequent handling of conjunctival swabbing techniques
• Differential diagnosis of conjunctival lesions that may appear to be related to foreign bodies e.g. ocular surface squamous neoplasia, pseudomembranes, concretions etc
• Tips for handling foreign body presentations in younger children and their accompanying parents and guardians
• Understand the importance of hand hygiene in standard precautions used in general optometry clinics and in reference to a clinical procedure such as foreign body removal
• Use a hypodermic syringe, cotton bud, and Alger brush to competently remove corneal foreign bodies of varied nature (iron, aluminium, plant-based etc) from a simulated corneal epithelium
• Understand the indications for aseptic technique and post-procedural management of a conjunctival swab
• Use a cotton bud to perform epithelial debridement
• Use a hypodermic needle and cotton bud to remove self-origin foreign bodies such as mucus bumps, phlyctenules etc

Max CPD hours awarded: 5

Session Information