Clinical Optometry Practice (OPTO90026)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 100On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Year Long
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Note: This subject is only available to students enrolled in the Doctor of Optometry.

In this subject, students will continue to integrate their knowledge of clinical vision sciences into an understanding of the diagnosis and management of ocular and visual system disease and will refine their clinical diagnostic skills. They will complete study in the areas of anterior and posterior eye disease, contact lenses, paediatrics, neurological disorders and low vision. Students will also study professional practice, including the role of optometry in the health care system and the community, the role of government and professional bodies, visual standards, communication, and ethical and cultural considerations in optometry. Throughout this subject, students will be required to demonstrate a high standard in clinical techniques and their capacity to apply these methods to the examination and management of patients. Additionally, students will work in small groups and as individuals to explore the evidence-based management of clinical cases. 

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • describe the mechanisms and associated manifestations of ocular and visual system diseases and disorders, and apply this knowledge to patient care;
  • competently construct and conduct a complete and targeted clinical examination;
  • develop and justify an appropriate management plan use evidence-based practice, considering the best available research evidence, clinical expertise, the individual patient and the practice context;
  • demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral, to establish and maintain professional relationships with patients, professional colleagues and the general public;
  • describe the moral, ethical and legal responsibilities of professional conduct, and apply them in clinical practice;
  • articulate the role of optometry in the health care system and the community, including eye safety and vision standards;
  • demonstrate culturally safe approaches, informed by critical reflection, to build trust and relationships with patients from diverse backgrounds (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples);
  • explain and apply the safe and effective use of therapeutic medications; and
  • manage patients in a broad range of sub-areas, including: anterior and posterior eye disease, binocular vision, contact lenses, paediatrics, low vision and neurological disorders.

Generic skills

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to new problems;
  • communicate clearly in written and oral forms;
  • integrate knowledge from different domains;
  • work as part of a team to address a common goal;
  • appreciate the design, conduct and reporting of original research;
  • manage competing demands on time, including self-directed project work;
  • show a respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of scholarship;
  • value the collection and recording of accurate and complete data;
  • keep up to date and critically evaluate the latest innovations;
  • treat people with dignity, integrity, respect and compassion;
  • reflect upon and identify deficiencies in their knowledge and develop strategies to address those deficiencies.
  • accept responsibility for one's actions; and

Last updated: 4 March 2025