Therapeutics Refresher Day

Therapeutics Refresher Day

Date: 19/05/2024 (AEST)

Venue: Australian College of Optometry, 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 one-day, interactive short course is tailored for optometrists to further their expertise in the principles and practice of therapeutic optometry. As the health care of the needs of the Australian population becomes more complex, primary care optometrists are ready to provide leadership in more diverse areas of vision and eye health.

An interactive session will outline how to integrate pathology testing into primary care practice using conjunctival microbial swabbing as a case example. Additionally, a practical interactive session will demonstrate the use of intramuscular adrenaline for emergency management of anaphylaxis, in the form of Epipen/Anapen pre-packaged products which are now available over-the-counter. Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reactions, however, the prevalence of all types of allergic conditions in the Australian population continues to increase. A presentation on the management of ocular allergic disease will introduce tachyphlaxis and tolerance as foundational immunology concepts, using therapy with oral antihistamines as an example. Clinical strategies will be introduced for both acute and maintenance control of more complex ocular allergic presentations, including optimisation of targeted topical, oral and adjunctive solutions. Approaching the penultimate endpoint of atropine therapy for myopia control can be an enigmatic clinical pivot, and this presentation will explore how to navigate this critical decision from both a clinical and holistic perspective. The application of artificial intelligence (AI) to everyday clinical decision making will be discussed, together with case scenarios which illustrate the ability of AI to enhance clinical treatment outcomes in primary care optometry.

Learning Objectives

• Learn how to use your provider number to access pathology lab portals.
• Understand how to incorporate pathology results into your examination and patient management.
• Review of indications for conjunctival swabbing.
• Learn how to perform conjunctival swabs with an interactive session.
• Review of clinical cases where pathology swabbing can change patient management.
• To understand the pharmacology and clinical use of intramuscular adrenaline in the treatment of anaphylaxis.
• To understand the potential signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and anaphylactic shock and provide the urgent emergency procedures including calling 000, administering an epipen or anapen and provide CPR in the event of circulatory and respiratory collapse.
• To learn about the safe storage and administration of the adrenaline-injector epipen and anapen for children and adults.
• To understand the different types of allergic reactions and the roles they play in allergic eye disease
• Discuss some of the challenges in managing ocular allergies when polytherapy is required and the challenges of managing polytherapy in adults and children
• Discuss tachyphylaxis and tolerance in the context of oral antihistamine therapy
• To understand the differential diagnosis of acute and chronic eyelid swelling
• Evidence-based and best practice approach management of myopia progression and amblyopia treatment with Atropine.
• Be able to Identify key clinical indicators to consider when stopping low-dose Atropine in myopia control, considering factors such as age, refractive error progression, and ocular health.
• Discuss strategies for tapering and discontinuing Atropine therapy in both myopia control and amblyopia treatment, including patient education, follow-up protocols, and alternative treatment options.
• Understand the common and subtle presentations and clinical manifestations of ocular co-morbidities affecting the anterior segment
• Understand the need to achieve an early and accurate diagnosis of concomitant systemic diseases to appropriately manage eye disorders and help anticipate or avoid complications
• Understand it is important to balance polypharmacy in patients with multiple comorbidities
• Develop an awareness of the clinical impact of ocular co-morbidity in terms of vision loss (visual acuity, visual field, other visual functional loss) and impact on a patient's overall quality of life
• Develop strategies to manage the complex clinical needs of patients with multiple ocular co-morbidities including prioritisation, adaptability and reassessment of needs upon presentation of worsening existing symptoms or new symptoms
• Understand the importance of inter-professional communication with GPs, specialists and other allied health providers in optimising care for patients with ocular co-morbidity. What role do Optometrists play in the shared care scenario
• Discuss the current landscape of technological advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) applications in eyecare.
• Assessing the role of AI applications in the screening and management of conditions such as Diabetic Retinopathy and Alzheimer’s disease
• Discuss the potential opportunities for integration of innovative technologies into existing healthcare systems to improve screening uptake, patient engagement, and treatment adherence.

Max CPD hours awarded: 7.75

Session Information