Optometry Reports Jul 2011

OAA NSW 

Andrew McKinnon 

Firstly, congratulations to our colleagues  in both Queensland and Victoria who  recently hosted record-breaking crowds  for the Australian Vision Convention  and Southern Region Congress  respectively. It is genuinely heartening  to see such a strong response to the new  CPD requirements - let's hope that the  momentum continues to build! 

The NSW Division has a strong program  of one-day CPD open to all optometrists  spread across the next several months.  Members will find much of interest to help  them meet their CPD requirements and its  all on the website - www.oaansw.com.au. 

A reminder that the 'Working with  Children Check' came into force in NSW  on 1 May. If you are self-employed or  commenced a new job after that date you'll  need to get a check. Go to https://check.  kids.nsw.gov.au/ for more information. 

And finally, members will be delighted to  know that Nicole Smart is back in the office  after completing maternity leave (Probably  not as delighted as me, but anyway...).  A very warm welcome back to Nicole! 

OAA Vic 

Terri Smith 

In September, the Victorian Division  will offer an intensive training course in  aviation eye examination. The course  has been developed in conjunction with  the Civil Aviation Safety Authority  (CASA) and the Optometrists Association  of Australia (OAA). The aim is to  provide training on the requirements  for optometrists who wish to become  Designated Aviation Eye Examiners  (DAEE). The DAEEs are recognised  by CASA as competent to assess  people needing to meet the competency  standards required for pilots and air  traffic controllers. 

There are currently only six DAEEs  across Victoria. One aim of the course is  to increase the numbers of optometrists  who are competent to undertake aviation  vision assessments in some country  and regional areas, so we particularly  encourage optometrists working in rural  areas to consider undertaking the course.  The current DAEE's stress it helps to have  an interest in the area, and people probably  need to be realistic about the modest effect  the qualification has as a practice-building  strategy. Most only see a small number of  patients throughout the year. 

The course is designed to cover a range  of clinical, practical and legal/regulatory  issues relating to undertaking these  examinations. Optometrists will learn  about the standards and how they apply,  the tests which need to be undertaken,  correction options, the visual environment  of the pilot including distance and  near tasks, colour vision tasks and  peripheral vision tasks, and some of the  common visual complaints pilots can  experience. They will also learn about the  physiological and psychological factors  relevant to aviation vision. The course  includes case studies. 

Professor Algis Vingrys of the University  of Melbourne will undertake some of the  lectures, joined by experienced Victorian  DAEE's John Warren (an optometrist  who is also a pilot), and Tony Gibson.  Associate Professor Pooshan Navathe,  CASA's Principal Medical Officer, will  also present. 

The course numbers in Victoria will be  limited, so those interested are encouraged  to express their interest early. The Aviation  Eye Examiner Training Course will be  held at the OAV seminar room in Carlton  on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 September.  The course is expected to attract around  20 CPD points. 

As we move toward the end of the year, it's  a timely reminder to members to ensure  you are thinking about and planning for  CPD. Remember, when you re-register  this year, around November 30, you'll  need to be able to declare you have met  your points quota as required by the  Board. If you haven't yet obtained your 40  points, now is the time to consider your  options. To find out the CPD available between now and November, visit www.  optometrists.asn.au, and keep an eye  out for information from OAV about the  DAEE course and other opportunities. 

OAA Qld/NT 

Greg Johnson 

Therapeutically endorsed optometrists  in Queensland and Northern Territory  may be aware that the new Optometry  Board of Australia does not have a listing  of therapeutically endorsed optometrists  on its website; however it does list the  qualification beside individual members.  We receive many enquiries from members  and patients regarding the proximity  of endorsed optometrists and so we  decided to have a list on our website  www.optometrists.asn.au/queensland. If  your name is not on the list please email  marika@optomsqld.com to have it added.  All members should go to the website  to make sure their names appear in the  "Optometrists Search" section on the site. 

On the subject of therapeutics, the  Queensland University of Technology's  post-grad course commences in July/  August each year. Over the past months  the University has been dealing with  applications that exceeded the 2010 intake  as well as enquiries from potential new  enrolments. The University will advise me  in due course if more places are available  and in turn I will communicate that  information to members. 

Sincere thanks to 80 practitioners from  around Australia who completed the  inaugural Aviation Eye Examiner  Training Course on 27-28 April and to the  Optometrists Association of Australia  National office for doing a fantastic  job in developing the curriculum and  presentations, particularly staffers Patricia  Kiely and Jane Lodge. The presenters  were exceptional including CASA's  Peter Fereday and Dr Pooshan Navathe,  Professor Algis Vingrys and our own  Director David Bradley. Heart-felt thanks  to them and to the Gold Coast Airport  Tower Manager Martin Simpkins and  his wonderful staff for cooperation  and courtesy during our tower tour.  We understand that our Victorian  friends will be running the second  course later this year. 

Politics is in the air in Queensland with  an election expected any day or at least  by March 2012. We are privileged to  enjoy outstanding relationships with both  Minister Geoff Wilson MP and Shadow  Minister Mark McArdle and both have  been briefed on our ambitions for  patients and the profession. 

OAA Tas 

Geoff Squibb 

The Tasmanian Division has experienced  a very busy autumn and President Karen  Garner is pleased with the public response  to some of the Association's promotional  activities; although she said, "there is still  a long way to go in educating members of  the public of the need for regular eye tests." 

During April and May a comprehensive  public awareness campaign featuring  Clark and Davis TV commercials, radio  and press advertising was conducted in  co-operation with Glaucoma Australia  and part funded by the Tasmanian  Department of Health and Human  Services. The campaign's effectiveness  will be evaluated following analysis of  data collected in phone surveys conducted  prior to and following the campaign.It  is proposed that a similar campaign be  staged next year. The Department of  Health and Human Services have provided  $100,000 for the two-year campaign. 

Ms. Garner said that if preliminary  observations at Agfest, Tasmania's  premier rural field day held in May, were  any indication, the awareness campaign  is vital in the quest to reduce avoidable  blindness. The Tasmanian Division has  conducted free vision and eye health  screenings at Agfest for the past six years. Although public awareness of the need  for regular eye tests is improving, about  half of the patrons who undertook the eye  screenings had not previously had an eye  test or had not had one for many years. 

Interest in this year's Tasmania's Lifestyle  Congress (TLC VII) is at an all-time  high according to Tasmania CEO Geoff  Squibb. This year there is increased  interest from as far away as Western  Australia and New Zealand. Mr. Squibb  expects to have to close off registrations  at the end of the month due to limitations  with the venue's capacity. TLC VII offers  up to 38 CPD points, 21 of which qualify  as therapeutic.  The European Eyewear Low Vision  Seminar has again received support from  other eye health professionals and two  CPR courses will be offered. 

OAA WA 

Tony Martella 

In Western Australia, our focus is  firmly on putting the finishing touches  to WAVE 2011 (20-21 August). 

After many years at the Esplanade Hotel  in Fremantle, this year WAVE has moved  to the centrally located Perth Convention  and Exhibition Centre. The well known  centre is within easy walking distance  of hotels, restaurants, and shopping  precincts, which we know will make the  total conference experience much more  enjoyable for our delegates. For those  still keen on the sights and sounds of  Fremantle, its still only a 20 min drive  away or 30 minutes by train. 

Public transport is very accessible from  the Centre with the free CBD Blue Cat  service, the Perth Esplanade city bus port  and train station at the door. 

An Exciting Program 

Speaking of plans for WAVE, our  president of the Optometrists Association  of Australia in WA (OAAWA), Darrell  Baker, recently said "in the west we pride  ourselves on hosting an exciting and  informative program for all delegates...  this year's conference will take our  education program to new heights with  another group of talented and informative  presenters leading the way in new topics  and ground breaking discoveries." 

When you look at the line up of speakers,  you'd have to agree. Along with insights  from favourites that include Dr. Celia  Chen, Dr. Laura Downie, Darryl Guest  and Mark Hinds, we have Matthew  Wensor from Zeiss, Queenslander David  Foresto, Charles McMonnies from Sydney  and academic Roman Serebrianik from  the Australian College of Optometry. 

To provide you with some details on  these speakers... 

Charles McMonnies practiced optometry  from 1966 -1977 and is perhaps best known  for his 1986 Dry Eye Questionnaire  which spawned several other related  questionnaires as well as the wide  spread use of dry eye questionnaire data  in research, diagnosis and the clinical  management of ocular surface disease.  Charles will present on meibomian gland disfunction; glaucoma - intra-ocular  baropathic pressure and compliance with  contact lens care as well findings from  his recent research paper on intraocular  pressure spiking. 

David Foresto debuted at WAVE in  2008 and is back by popular demand.  A therapeutically endorsed optometrist  with special interests in ocular allergy and  inflammation, David is a Board Director  for the OAA QLD/NT Division and  works alongside acclaimed contact lens  specialist John Mountford. He will lecture  on the role of optometrists in managing  corneal graft rejection. 

Roman Serebrianik is a Lead Optometrist  - Primary Care at the Australian College  of Optometry (ACO)

and is actively  involved in the ACO's Outreach program;  providing optometric care to aged care  facilities, crisis centres, visiting disability  services, homeless shelters and special  residence facilities. At WAVE 2011,  he will present in the popular clinical  workshop format WAVE has become  known for on 'Why am I crying -  common disorders of the lacrimal system  and their management.' This workshop  should be of great interest to those WA  optometrists beginning to use and work  with therapeutic agents as a part of their  day-to-day practice and treatment regime.  Finally, Matthew Wensor, Product  manager Ophthalmic Systems at Carl  Zeiss, will present clinical workshops on  advanced perimetry using the Humphreys  Field Analyser. Additionally, he will run  a clinical workshop on tracking glaucoma  progression using OCT and perimetry. As  the uptake and use of OCT technology by  optometry continues to grow and become  more a part of day-to-day practice these  workshops will be popular and most  importantly very much in demand  by delegates. 

That's just a taste of what we have on  offer at WAVE, but rest assured there  is plenty of content to get our delegates  thinking and importantly, to earn much  needed CPD points before registration  in December. For those optometrists  who still need to get their CPD points  requirements, WAVE does have  something to offer for everyone and has  over 40 points on offer. So if you're looking  for an education program that's got more  than just the norm and is value packed  with content, come and be a part of the  WAVE 2011 experience.  The entire program and information  on the speakers can be viewed at  www.optometrists.asn.au/wave. 

Book Early 

Building on the success of the Southern  Regional Congress and Australian Vision  Convention, WAVE is filling fast. Contact  OAA WA on (AUS) 08 9321 2300 or  email:admin@optometrywa.org.au to  book your place. 

I'm looking forward to seeing you there and  being a part of the WAVE experience.