We are happy to be offer 4 diverse and exciting workshops at this congress. Timing of the workshops is aimed at providing attendees with the maximum opportunity to attend multiple sessions or attend a single longer workshop.
Workshops A,B, and C are 1 hour sessions that will be repeated. Attendees therefore have the opportunity to attend at least 2 of the 3 one hour sessions. Workshop D is a specially designed two hour workshop promising a lot of attendee participation. This Workshop runs concurrent to Workshops A,B, and C but is only offered once.
Pre-registration to the workshops is required, and can be done via the online registration form.
Workshop A – What about the Orthoptics?
Workshop Leader: Professor Anna Horwood, UK, Professor of Orthoptics and Visual Development, BIOS Research and Innovation Director
Orthoptists are branching out into many different areas of practice, but our defining professional training and skill is in orthoptic investigation and treatment. In this workshop we will explore how orthoptists around the world are tackling the issue of maintaining orthoptic skills and professional standards when many orthoptists’ roles may involve little or no actual orthoptics. In other situations, other professions are claiming they are the binocular vision experts. The workshop will debate how we can maintain, develop and raise the profile of core orthoptic skills in response to these challenges. How should we expand our roles, while still keeping our core traditional skills at the top of their game? How should we respond to challenges from others?
Timings: 14:30-15:30 and 16:00-17:00
Workshop B – Neuro-Orthoptics
Workshop Leader: Joanne Adeoye, UK, Lecturer in Orthoptics, University of Liverpool, Chair BIOS Neuro-Orthoptics/ Neuro-Ophthalmology Clinical Advisory Group
Orthoptists are heralded as the experts in ocular motility, employing these skills in the capacity of diagnosticians and therapists in the care of patients with a wide range of neurological conditions. This unique skill set allows us to contribute to the care of these patients at various points throughout their journey. This workshop aims to provide attendees with a summary of clinical pearls and techniques from experts in the field to enable you to diagnose and manage patients presenting with neurological aetiologies as efficiently as possible.
Timings: 14:30-15:30 and 16:00-17:00
Workshop C – Under pressure!– glaucoma 20/20
Workshop Leader: Dr Nadia Northway, Glasgow Caledonian University
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and is the second most common cause of visual impairment in the UK. Glaucoma represents a significant challenge for eye care delivery with many patients being seen for decades in order to preserve their sight and halt progression of the disease. Early diagnosis and referral are important with guidelines regarding when to refer and signs requiring referral set out clearly by NICE in NHS ENGLAND and SIGN in Scotland. All optometrists and eye care professionals should be up to date with the new referral guidelines and subsequent management of these patients. This workshop is suitable for all eye care professionals who want to improve their understanding of glaucoma and the significance of corneal thickness, intra ocular pressures, visual fields as well as viewing the anterior chamber using a gonio lens in monitoring the disease. This workshop would be suitable for Orthoptists, Ophthalmic nurses and Optometrists who want to learn more about Glaucoma. CET points will be applied from the College of Optometrists.
Timings: 14:30-15:30 and 16:00-17:00
Workshop D – International Volunteering: Converging Intentions with Reality
(This workshop is sponsored by the IOA’s International Volunteer Program)
Volunteering is a good thing, right? But will it really help the people you aim to serve? Does your service as a volunteer have the potential to cause harm despite the best of intentions? Are there questions you can ask before you volunteer abroad to figure it all out?
The literature on ethical concerns in health care volunteering has grown tremendously over the last years highlighting the need for appropriate guidelines. The IOA’s Volunteer Program invites 2020 Congress participants who either already volunteered abroad or have an interest in volunteering in the future, to an interactive workshop on June 20th, 2020, to share their experiences. The aim of this workshop is to discuss how international health care volunteering if done well can have long lasting benefits for eye health for the population it serves; whilst at the same time if done without careful planning or for the wrong reasons, can have a detrimental effect. The ethical issues relating to volunteering will be discussed and participants will be encouraged to reach consensus on the best practices needed to ensure a legacy of improved eye health for those who are in need of help.
Workshop Objectives – Upon completion of this workshop participants will be able to:
- Suggest IOA best practice guidelines to employ when volunteering
- List the questions to ask before volunteering
- Differentiate volunteering from voluntourism
- Discuss how international volunteering has the potential to cause harm: causes and effects
- Discuss the two-way benefits of volunteering and service to the host and volunteer
Timings: 14:30-17:00 with a small break