As the days count down, anticipation is growing for the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) Clinical Conference and Exhibition, which will be held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham on June 5-7. It is a chance to catch up with old friends and build new relationships with like-minded peers, all while discovering the emerging techniques and technologies that continue to see the eye care profession evolve at such a rapid pace.
We look forward to welcoming colleagues from around the world. The BCLA is a global organisation, and the international flavour of the meeting is what makes it such a special occasion, bringing together the profession’s brightest brains and leading lights to share their research with eye care professionals (ECPs) to benefit patients.
Held every two years, the conference is well known for the learning opportunities it presents. Delegates joining us at the ICC can expect to take a deep dive into the latest in contact lens and anterior eye technology and clinical advancements as we exhibit world-class clinically relevant research, while nurturing new clinicians and young academics.
This year, we are challenging ECPs to evolve their day-to-day practice to make it more evidence-based and patient-centric by offering ‘science-informed clinical management’. This will be a consistent theme across a busy programme, featuring three days of learning and networking opportunities.
Delegates will be able to learn more about detecting and managing anterior eye inflammation, with a dedicated session discussing the pathophysiology of anterior uveitis and its association with systemic diseases such as autoimmune disorders and infections.
Key diagnostic techniques, such as slit-lamp examination, deeper investigation for a more posterior cause, ocular imaging and laboratory tests, will be highlighted in identifying the underlying cause of inflammation.
Understanding why our patients drop out from contact lens wear is important but often overlooked. A presentation will share knowledge around the key reasons for discontinuation, including discomfort, vision, handling and ocular health), and explore where we have good evidence to support patient management strategies and where further research is required.
Ultimately, improved understanding of these themes will minimise the contact lens drop-out rate and enhance the contact lens experience for our patients, leading to better practitioner satisfaction and improved practice success.
Delegates will see the very latest innovations that are shaping the eye care profession and will receive expert clinical insight, with live demonstrations, workshops and interactive sessions led by world-class speakers in all aspects of contact lenses and ocular surface, as well as the highly anticipated BCLA honours and professional awards.
Sessions will see speakers sharing their insights on the latest innovations in clinical practice and discuss advancements in subjects such as contact lenses, myopia control, dry eye, ocular health and anterior eye care.
Confirmed sessions include Professor Philip Morgan delivering a keynote presentation giving ‘A perspective of contact lens wear’, Dr Nick Rumney on ‘Detecting and managing anterior eye inflammation’ and Dr Rachel Casemore presenting the Irving Fatt Memorial lecture on ‘Dry eye disease in young adults: risk factors, clinical signs and biomarkers’.
Interactive sessions
The BCLA Clinical Conference enjoys a reputation for getting people talking, stimulating thought-provoking conversations that have an immediate impact on how delegates subsequently go about their practice.
This year, I’m particularly looking forward to seeing the outcome of the ‘Contact lens and anterior eye debate’. This interactive session will have attendees voting on a host of topics, listening to the evidence to support either side of the argument and reflecting on their position.
Subjects include whether the oxygen permeability of modern lenses is no longer a concern; whether artificial intelligence (AI) will replace the ECP in the next 10 years; whether contact lenses are the best option for presbyopes and whether independent prescribing rights are essential to best community eye care practice?
Everyone attending is guaranteed to come away more knowledgeable about all of these topics, with existing views challenged, allowing delegates to use their clinical judgement to provide the best possible service for their patients.
It is initiatives such as these that truly set the BCLA apart, combining critical clinical thinking with real-life scenarios that result in improved patient care. The three-day event will also feature live demonstrations and practical hands-on workshops showcasing the newest techniques.
AI is already used in optometry to improve diagnosis and treatment, and we have seen how it can help with tasks such as screening for eye diseases, analysing scans and providing patient education. Delegates will hear from companies already using AI in areas such as imaging, biometry and manufacturing, allowing the audience to consider the benefits as well as the challenges of this fast-moving technology.
While the programme showcases the latest in research and academic findings, we also wanted to introduce a patient focus to this year’s content, encouraging delegates to celebrate those patients with a story to tell.
These personal stories are often those that resonate most and we are delighted to be welcoming several patients to Birmingham who will join us to share their stories and clinical journeys, providing fascinating and heartwarming insights from the other side of the consulting room.
A session on practical therapeutic management of dry eye will be heard from patients, who will share their experiences of self-management and healthcare professional advice given throughout their journey with this chronic, debilitating disease.
Their outcomes are why so many of our members continue to do the job they love – making a difference to people’s lives day in, day out.
Dry eye workshop
On the subject of dry eye, we are delighted to be hosting a workshop that will provide updates on the latest evidence-based treatment and management options and practical cases to allow ECPs to manage their dry eye patients better.
Also joining us at this year’s conference will be several new ECPs fortunate enough to have secured full grant funding from our education supporters, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care.
We are incredibly grateful for this support, which allowed UK-based students, pre-registration, newly qualified (within two years), and contact lens opticians (CLOs) to apply for grant-funded places across all three days of the event, plus a £150 travel grant.
We know times are tough for many at the moment, particularly new professionals, and this funding is making it possible for deserving candidates to attend this prestigious conference. I know I speak for everyone at the BCLA when I say how much we appreciate this commitment to the ongoing development of new professionals and CLOs.
This is a unique opportunity for the emerging stars of the eye care profession to expand their knowledge, network with industry professionals and enhance their career prospects in the field of contact lens care and anterior eye health.
The support of all our sponsors is fundamental to the work we do in showcasing the latest in contact lens research and education, leading to enhanced knowledge for ECPs and improved patient outcomes.
Without their backing, there would be no conference, so thank you to our partner sponsor Bausch+Lomb, platinum sponsor CooperVision and gold sponsors Alcon and EssilorLuxottica.
If you are attending this year, please do visit the exhibition hall and show your appreciation to all our sponsors and exhibitors.
On a personal level, these three days will represent my final Clinical Conference and Exhibition as chief executive of the BCLA. It has been a genuine honour and privilege to lead the Association in recent years and has given me a fascinating insight into a unique profession that is 100% committed to providing exceptional care to its patients.
That blend of customer service and a people-centric approach, underpinned by academic learning, technical prowess and clinical expertise is almost unparalleled within healthcare, or in any other profession for that matter, and not a day has passed where I have not been blown away by the talents of our members.
I am grateful to have had the chance to work within the eye care world. It has been an incredible experience that I will remember fondly and I look forward to rounding things off with an unforgettable conference in such a special city.
Birmingham is a vibrant, multi-cultural modern success story. It is the beating heart of England, a titan of industry that has welcomed huge change and technological advances to emerge as a trailblazing force. Sound familiar? There is simply no better place to host the BCLA. See you there.
- Luke Stevens-Burt is chief executive of the BCLA.
