The Christmas lights have been packed away until December, daily de-icing of your car has resumed, and Easter break feels several decades away. If you need a break from your winter woes, then you might find the perfect antidote in 100% Optical.
Running February 24-26 at Excel London, this year’s offerings include a track dedicated to ophthalmology, providing more opportunities to network and learn.
Below we highlight some sessions on this year’s programme that have piqued our interest. Most sessions get booked up, so it might mean turning up five minutes before the session starts to see if a place becomes available.
Day 1: February 24
10.15-11.15
The wheel of misfortune
Helping add some levity to an obviously difficult topic, experts from the AOP will be considering common causes of clinical negligence claims in the style of a 90s gameshow. This sounds like a great way to start the conference.
11.30-12.30
Scleral lenses: back to basics
There are plenty of contact lens-focused sessions in this next slot. If you are not lucky enough to secure a place in the Specsavers’ peer review session with Neil Retallic on evidence-based lens decision-making or CooperVision’s session on contact lens patient retention with Chithra Dhanabalan, then there may be a chance for you to catch them later in the day when they are repeated.
Alcon’s Buki Anthony will also be holding a peer review on a topic that will speak to many contact lens practitioners: achieving comfortable vision for astigmats. If, however, you are interested in exploring the road less travelled then contact lens expert Nick Howard will be discussing the basics of scleral contact lens fittings, which, as the programme suggests, are having something of a renaissance.
13.00-14.00
Task shifting from secondary care to the community: smartphones, digital displays and telecommunications
In a session that sounds perfect for all techies and early adopters, Mario Giardini will be discussing ways in which the power of technology can be harnessed to provide patient care.
Specifically, the session will consider how technological approaches from secondary care can be adopted into the community. Topics such as smartphone-based imaging, telemedicine, and digital vision testing are all expected to be covered.
Alternatively, Lorcan Butler, optometrist at the Brain Tumour Charity, is presenting ‘Effective communication and breaking bad news, a Peer review for both optometrists and dispensing opticians’.
Words are powerful and patients often have selective memories at difficult times, so adopting a structured approach and considering all aspects of communication when delivering what can often be life-changing news is essential – this is one session I managed to book.
14.15-15.00
Benefits of ultra-widefield and confocal technology in retinal imaging
Retinal imaging technologies have developed at an impressive pace and are widely accessible to practitioners, but how can you make the most of your findings? In this OSA-sponsored session, optometrist Ivan Cammack will be discussing recent developments in retinal imaging and how they can be used to improve patient care.
At the same time, another tech session will be running in the Optical Academy track, sponsored by Canon. Ophthalmologist Sancy Low will provide a roundup of publications on portable visual fields technologies – a session of particular importance given our ageing population and potential growth of the domiciliary sector.
If you are dealing with predominantly younger patient bases then you want to sharpen your myopia decision-making skills. Andrew Sanders from Hoya will be running a discussion workshop on currently available myopia management products (from 14.15 to 15.15), which will use practice scenario-based discussions.
15.45-16.45
Discussion workshop: Understanding cataract surgery management and complications
Sandhya Mulla from SpaMedica will present on a topic many eye care professionals will encounter, whether they work in primary or secondary care settings: cataract complication management. The session will also include medical management of complications from the perspective of speciality optometrists.
17.00-18.00
The power of you – using wellness to drive performance
To round off the day, Maria McGoldrick and Jess Smith of Specsavers will be running a peer review session on creating supportive and inclusive workplace cultures that promote wellbeing, performance and patient care. Sounds like a session that will provide much food for thought.
If you do not manage to book a place on any of the sessions, then there is also the option to attend the Love Eyewear Awards 2024, which are also running from 17.00-18.00.
Day 2: February 25
10.15-11.15
An important session to start the day. Dr Monica Jong from Johnson & Johnson Vision will be presenting on the science underlying myopia management.
I’m also keen to catch Byki Huntjens and Sarah Morgan deliver their ‘Delving into the life of a presbyope’ peer review as I did not manage to attend their Bausch + Lomb roadshows last year.
11.30-12.30
Myopia management and the role of the dispensing optician
As we see the skills of dispensing opticians in greater demand, now more than ever, this discussion workshop presented by Alicia Thompson, Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) director of education, research and professional development, focuses on the role of the dispensing optician as part of a multi-disciplinary team in the delivery of myopia management identifying risk factors, providing patients with informed choice (part of every dispense when an optical appliance is supplied) and what needs to be considered when dispensing spectacle lenses for myopia.
If, however, you would like to switch to the ophthalmology track then ophthalmologist Radhika Rampat will be speaking about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in anterior segment disease in practice. It is perhaps worth mentioning that Optician will soon be running a series of articles on AI. Watch this space!
13.00-14.00
Reducing the risk of spectacle lens non-tolerance – setting expectations, the key to success
Reducing spectacle non-tolerance is a topic that resonates with both optometrists and dispensing opticians. Unhappy patients are far more vocal than those who have had a positive experience, so this discussion workshop is one session to add to your diary.
Presented by Amy Baig, Nikon head of product, education and professional services, highlights recommending the best products and looks at cases where patients return to the practice due to non-tolerance, reviewing what went wrong and, most importantly, what could be done differently during the dispense to avoid that outcome.
14.15-15.15
The use of colour to alleviate headache and visual discomfort
Nadia Northway leads a discussion workshop (three CPD points), which considers the truths and myths about tinted lenses providing information on how to prescribe colour and when it is necessary.
Binocular vision anomalies and investigative techniques when patients complain of symptoms when reading are discussed. We all need to be mindful of how we communicate the benefits of tinted lenses prescribed for visual difficulties when reading so this workshop will help.
15.45-16.45
Making myopia work with teamwork
Indie Grewal, CooperVision professional services consultant in myopia management, presents this discussion workshop (three CPD points), which highlights the updated guidance for myopia management by both the College of Optometrists and ABDO.
The importance of a consistent approach by all of the practice team reminds us that all eye care professionals should be able to discuss their patients’ myopia risk factors, lifestyle changes that delay or prevent onset of myopia as well as management strategies.
17.00-18.00
Beyond traditional myopia care – the emergence of repeated low-level red light therapy
Repeated low-level red light is another new treatment option for slowing the progression of myopia. Safety concerns are always at the forefront and Neema Ghorbani Mojarrad uses a lecture with discussion workshop (two CPD points) to breakdown the evidence and then discussion cases address how this treatment can be applied.
Having recently attended a lecture by Neema Ghorbani Mojarrad at the ABDO myopia conference where he drilled down the facts on a variety of myopia research, I am sure this will be a really engaging and informative session.
Day 3: February 26
10.15-11.15
Total care – sight and homelessness
Starting this day with a discussion workshop (three CPD points) that grabbed my attention by Ross Campbell at Specsavers. Being homeless presents real challenges for healthcare, so this is an area we could all look at to see if there is more we could do to support these people a time when they are at most need of support.
11.30-12.30
Ocular allergy
This lecture by Damian Lake, consultant ophthalmologist at Queen Victoria Hospital, is accredited for all professional groups including those on the specialty registers. Ocular allergy, is a condition that seems to present with a greater frequency in high street practice.
This lecture provides an ideal opportunity to get an update on current treatment options that can be utilised by IP optometrists, optometrists, dispensing opticians and contact lens opticians.
12.45-13.45
Supporting patients with additional needs
This session provides a peer review opportunity for both optometrists and dispensing opticians. Supporting your patients with additional needs, by Louise Gow, RNIB clinical lead for eye health, optometry and low vision, and Preeti Singla, RNIB optometry and low vision engagement manager.
Three case records are used covering adult learning difficulties, a child with autism and a low vision patient. How we communicate, our behaviour and vocabulary are all important for patients with additional needs and there is always something to learn from peers. This is a CPD format I enjoy so for those wishing to attend look out for any additional availability for this session or turn up and wait for a place.
14.14-15.15
Excellence in experience
Next, a discussion workshop presented by Samantha Watson, CooperVision professional affairs consultant. Clinical excellence is what all optical professionals strive to deliver. This session poses the question: Does this also apply to the customer service aspect of the contact lens fitting process?
Research gathered from 100% Optical 2023 and the Fresh Thinking campaign is used and discussion centres around how we work in practice with viewpoints form both potential and existing contact lens wearers. Sometimes we can overlook the simplest of details, so this session will be of interest to all clinicians involved in fitting contact lenses.
15.30-16.30
Save Dave
A discussion workshop (three CPD points) by Alex Webster, head of ABDO CPD, and Cheryl Hill, ABDO CPD officer and lecturer at Univer-sity of Bradford, has an intriguing educational escape room theme.
A locum optometrist looking for disposable tonometer heads has become locked in the store cupboard, which is only accessible via a new electronic keypad.
Delegates have to delve into three dispensing cases, paediatric dispensing, young adult low vision, and spectacle and contact options for presbyopia to crack the keycode and free the locum optometrist.