Program

Saturday February 22

3:00pm-3:15pm

Welcome and OA Update

Ann Webber, Queensland State Lead

3:15pm-5:15pm

The red eye is a harbinger of many conditions including posterior segment, dermatologic, endocrine and infectious and non-infectious ocular and systemic disease. This holistic case-based approach to diagnosis and therapeutic management of acute and chronic red eye will provide participants with increased confidence in managing red eyes in the clinical optometry practice setting.

Learning Objectives:

• To review the causes, relevant history taking, diagnostic work up and therapeutic management and referral considerations of commonly and less commonly presenting red eye conditions

About our speaker:

Julie has practiced in optometry and ophthalmology clinical and surgical sub-specialty settings for over three decades, She has significant clinical experience in the diagnosis and management of complex dry eye, tear film and ocular surface disease, corneal, anterior and posterior segment disease, and in oculoplastic, cataract and keratorefractive, glaucoma and vitreo-retinal and pre- and post-surgical eye care.

Julie’s PhD has equipped her with an extensive clinical research and publication record in the dry eye, tear film and the ocular surface field and she has had a pivotal role in the development of Melcare’s Optimel and several other regulatory approved Antibacterial Manuka Honey products for dry eye, blepharitis and ocular surface management, nasal and sinus care and periocular skin care. Julie holds a graduate certificate in ocular therapeutics and for over a decade she was senior lecturer, clinical instructor and course coordinator of the therapeutic management of eye disease unit at Queensland University of Technology.

Julie is a QUT University Medallist for academic excellence, and recipient of QUT Vice-Chancellor’s Performance Award in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the Faculty of Health for Ocular Therapeutics Clinical Teaching, and a recipient of the 2020 J Lloyd Hewett Outstanding Paper Award for the best article published in Clinical and Experimental Optometry.

Julie is currently the principal practitioner of Eyedeal Optometrists’ innovative state-of-the-art Dry eye, tear film and ocular surface disease clinic.

5:15pm-6:15pm

PRE DINNER NETWORKING EVENING

6:15pm-8:15pm

AEST

7:30am-8:30am

8:30am-9:00am

9:00am-11:00am

Welcome to Country

This interactive workshop will cover the common signs and symptoms of stroke; types of stroke and what to do in case of sudden onset.

Latest stroke statistics in Australia will also be discussed, and viewed through their geographic, socio-economic and health determinants.

The opportunities for optometrists to take a more active role in stroke prevention, detection and management will also be explored to empower them to better support their patients with lived experience of stroke to achieve optimal post-stroke care outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognise the risk factors and common signs of stroke and what to do in case of sudden onset of stroke.

• Understand the pertinent stroke statistics in Australia.

• Understand what roles optometrists can play in better supporting patients with lived experience of stroke; and what supports and resources are available.

Our Speaker:

Roman is an experienced optometrist, educator and public health clinician. Roman graduated from the Melbourne University’s Optometry School and 2003 and worked in a variety of private and public optometry settings.

Between 2007 and 2020, he was involved with the Australian College of Optometry in Melbourne, fulfilling a number of clinical and leadership roles, including Lead Optometrist Primary Care and Head of Primary and Specialist Services, and is currently on the ACO Council.

More recently, Roman has worked in senior policy and advocacy roles in the health sector and is currently the National Advocacy Advisor at Stroke Foundation. 

Roman clinical interests include public health optometry, holistic care and ocular disease management.

Outside of the optometry world, Roman has recently completed a Master of Public Health degree and is a Standards Representative on select committees for the Consumers’ Federation of Australia.

11:00am-11:30am

MORNING TEA

11:30am - 12:30pm

Optometrists are becoming increasingly involved in the detection of glaucoma, as well as providing therapeutic management and collaborative care to glaucoma patients. Given this, it is important for optometrists to also be able to differentiate glaucoma from other causes of optic neuropathy and/or visual field loss. Specific cases will be used to highlight this, and there will be an interactive component to discuss frequently-asked-questions with respect to glaucoma diagnosis and management.

Learning Objectives:

• Differentially diagnose causes of non-glaucomatous optic neuropathy and/or visual field loss.

• Address some of the common concerns regarding diagnosis and management of glaucoma.

• Describe the beneficial role of optometry in providing glaucoma collaborative care and the key features of a collaborative care plan.

About our speaker:

Inez Hsing graduated from QUT with First Class Honours and a University Medal. She was also awarded the Optometry Australia (QLD & NT Division) Clinical Excellence Award and completed a Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics in 2013. Inez has over 10 years of experience as a Clinical Optometrist in private ophthalmology. She is currently based at the OKKO Eye Specialist Centre in Brisbane where she is heavily involved in collaborative care of all ocular diseases, with particular interests in glaucoma and retinal/macular disease. Inez is active in the training of optometry students as a Clinical Supervisor in the QUT School of Optometry’s Primary Care and Glaucoma Clinics. She joined the Glaucoma Australia Clinical Advisory Panel in 2017 and is passionate about early detection and education of glaucoma in the general community, as well advocating for the role of optometry in glaucoma management.

12:30pm-1:30pm

1:30pm-2:30pm

Learning Objectives: 

• TBC

2:30pm-3:00pm

3:00pm-5:00pm

This presentation will focus on the impact of visual field loss on driving performance and safety, including field loss from stroke and glaucoma, and the licensing implications for fitness to drive.

Learning Objectives:

• To understand the current visual requirements for fitness to drive and how visual field loss arising from different conditions can impact on driving ability and safety.

About our speaker:

Professor Joanne Wood is from the Centre for Vision and Eye Research, Optometry and Vision Science, QUT, Brisbane. Her research focuses on the impact of vision impairment and ageing on functional outcomes, including understanding how vision impairment affects driving performance, the factors affecting night-time pedestrian visibility and identifying risk factors for unsafe older drivers.

5:00pm

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