MSci Optometry

In the first part of this unit, you'll gain the skills needed to flourish in your new academic environment, getting ready for successful study and fulfilling university life. You'll then be introduced to the scientific principles behind optometry, including light properties, eye anatomy, and how the brain processes vision. In partnership with your fellow students, you will apply the knowledge you have acquired to clinical cases, considering the ethical and legal dimensions in addition to the scientific aspects. Attending practical sessions will enable you to develop your ability to use optometric instruments and assess ocular function.

The unit aims to:

• Foster a sense of community and a supportive learning environment where all learners feel that they belong
• Support the learner’s transition into the programme and higher education more generally 
• Introduce learners to the key elements of professionalism and begin to explore what it means to be an Optometrist
• Facilitate understanding of fundamental scientific concepts which are core to the practise of clinical optometry
• Develop the ability to undertake foundational clinical procedures under supervision.
   

The teaching and learning philosophy for the MSci optometry is learner centred with an emphasis on building knowledge by working as part of a team through considering clinical scenarios. Learning is structured to maximise guided self-directed learning, with team based learning events provided to support greater conceptual understanding of the material. Practical clinical skills are developed alongside clinical scenarios in a supportive environment with an emphasis of learners becoming trusted to carry out clinical activities and make a positive contribution to patient care. Our approach helps students prepare for their future careers by enabling them to develop independence, confidence, resilience and the ability to work as part of a team. We use a range of teaching and learning activities to meet the learning needs of a diverse range of students:

• Online learning: Learners are presented with a clinical cases along with a suite of resources to facilitate achieving the outcomes associated with it. These may consist of videos, audio, bespoke e-learning packages, factsheets and directed reading.
• Team Based Learning Events: All learning is brought together and consolidated in a day long learning event once every two weeks. Events are led by a team of subject experts who act as specialist facilitators, directing student learning via a range of application exercises which, after a formative assessment of individual understanding, students work through as a team. 
• Practical classes: Practical classes occur weekly throughout the first year of study. Learners work in small groups with clinician supervisors who introduce them to the core skills needed to work towards first and second year entrustable professional activities (EPAs). These EPAs are closely aligned with the content of the team based learning.  
• Practise & Simulation: Learners have a weekly opportunity to practise skills they have been introduced to in practical classes, working with each other and in simulations. 
• Academic adviser meetings: Students meet with their named academic adviser twice per semester in formal timetabled meetings. Academic advisers support students with their personal and professional development throughout the MSci optometry course.
   

Upon completion of this unit learners will be able to:

1. Describe electromagnetic waves theory and modelling 
2. Use wave equations with phase for constructive and destructive interference
3. Explain interference and fringes 
4. Explain wave packets, coherence and application in OCT 
5. Explain the Cartesian convention, refraction/reflection at a plane single surface and refraction/reflection at single curved surface and refraction at two plane sides
6. Apply understanding of curved surface reflection to practical and clinical scenarios 
7. Describe monochromatic and chromatic aberrations 
8. Use thin and thick lens theory 
9. Describe spherical, cylindrical and toric lenses 
10. Explain how to neutralise ophthalmic lenses 
11. Discuss high powered lenses and lens thickness 
12. Use anatomical terminology appropriately 
13. Describe the anatomy of the lids, lashes, adnexa, lacrimal apparatus, cornea, sclera, iris, ciliary body, crystalline lens, retina, choroid, sinuses, cranial nerves (II to VII) and visual pathway. 
14. Apply understanding of anatomy to clinical presentations 
15. Define fundamental cells and tissues 
16. Describe the development of ocular anatomy in utero 
17. Discuss homeostasis, haemostasis, metabolism and the endocrine, gastrointestinal, somatosensory, autonomic and reproductive systems 
18. Explain the concept of threshold
19. Describe contrast sensitivity and Weber’s law 
20. Give an overview of the visual system, including the midbrain, primary visual cortex and secondary areas 
21. Explain the ‘what’ and ‘where’ pathways
22. Discuss types of ametropia and how a pinhole improves acuity  
23. Explain how to measure visual acuity, inter-pupillary distance, fit a trial frame, measure back vertex distance, perform best sphere, fan and block, retinoscopy and checking tests 
24. Outline the contents and explain the importance of the Opticians Act 
25. Outline and comply with the GOC Standards for Optical Students 
26. Discuss the legal basis of data protection and confidentiality 
27. Outline what is meant by consent, confidentiality, conflict of interest, whistleblowing, limits of competence, equality and diversity 
28. Describe the legislation applicable to the practice of optometry 
29. Describe the different environments in which optometry may be practised 
30. Outline what is meant by clinical governance 
31. Describe how an Optometrist delivers NHS funded care and the ethical issues involved in allocating funding 
32. Outline the role of various UK Optical Bodies 
33. Describe how culture and ethnicity may affect the delivery of healthcare 
34. Outline the role of Optometrists in public health 
35. Recognize AI's diverse applications beyond healthcare, and differentiate machine learning as a subset of AI, highlighting its capacity to learn from data autonomously.
36. Explain the data demands of machine learning algorithms and the necessity of using independent data subsets for training/evaluation and recognize diverse NLP applications within and beyond healthcare, including chatbots, virtual assistants, and clinical note dictation.

Upon completion of this unit learners will be able to:

1. Discuss their own philosophy of learning and appreciate other perspectives 
2. Manage their own learning schedule 
3. Find appropriate learning resources and appreciate bias 
4. Communicate with peers and staff in a professional manner 
5. Outline how to communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals 
6. Take notes that facilitate learning 
7. Reflect on and discuss own strengths and development needs
8. Discuss strategies to cope with stress and use a growth mind-set when dealing with adversity
9. Work as part of a team and show awareness of methods that can be used to resolve conflict 
10. Describe an approach to revision which is personally effective 
11. Describe what constitutes academic malpractice and explain how to avoid it 
12. Engage with and apply feedback from academic staff and peers 
13. Explain how to seek help if struggling with a personal or academic issue
14. Outline the concepts of variability, sampling and how to test for differences
15. Outline how to investigate associations
16. Outline how to deal with categorical data, how to compare more than one group and regression analysis 
17. Outline how to deal with non-parametric data  
18. Work with arithmetic operator functions and perform a variety of algebraic manipulations
19. Deal with bases, exponents and powers and work with reciprocals, decimals and fractions
20. Perform ‘log’ and ‘inverse log’ functions and use fundamental trigonometric functions.

Over the course of this unit and Fundamentals of Optometry Part 2 learners will be required to demonstrate that they can be entrusted (level in brackets) with the work listed below by the end of first year. See section on summative assessment for further details of entrustable professional activities (EPAs).

1. Performing a basic slit lamp examination (2)
2. Measuring IOP with a non-contact tonometer (2)
3. Determining distance refractive error using a retinoscope (2)
4. Performing an automated visual fields test (2)
5. Focimetering spectacles (2)
6. Straightforward spectacle dispensing (2)
7. Capturing an ocular image (1)
8. Contact Lens Teaching (1)
9. Managing a practice diary (1)
10. Using subjective methods to determine distance refraction (3)
11. Using subjective methods to determine near refraction (3)
12. Taking a case history (1)
13. Measuring visual acuity (4)
14. Spectacle collection (1)
15. Performing a cover test (3)
16. Examining the fundus with a Volk lens (2)

Upon completion of this unit learners will be able to:

1. Discuss their own philosophy of learning and appreciate other perspectives 
2. Manage their own learning schedule 
3. Find appropriate learning resources and appreciate bias 
4. Communicate with peers and staff in a professional manner 
5. Outline how to communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals 
6. Take notes that facilitate learning 
7. Reflect on and discuss own strengths and development needs
8. Discuss strategies to cope with stress and use a growth mind-set when dealing with adversity
9. Work as part of a team and show awareness of methods that can be used to resolve conflict 
10. Describe an approach to revision which is personally effective 
11. Describe what constitutes academic malpractice and explain how to avoid it 
12. Engage with and apply feedback from academic staff and peers 
13. Explain how to seek help if struggling with a personal or academic issue
14. Outline the concepts of variability, sampling and how to test for differences
15. Outline how to investigate associations
16. Outline how to deal with categorical data, how to compare more than one group and regression analysis 
17. Outline how to deal with non-parametric data  
18. Work with arithmetic operator functions and perform a variety of algebraic manipulations
19. Deal with bases, exponents and powers and work with reciprocals, decimals and fractions
20. Perform ‘log’ and ‘inverse log’ functions and use fundamental trigonometric functions.

Formative

• Multiple Choice Questions every 2 weeks
• TBL case-based exercises and application exercises every 2 weeks.

Summative

• Integrated case-based examination at end of academic year, using the same format as TBL exercises. This is a single assessment event which covers Fundamentals of Optometry Parts 1 and 2. (30 credits)
• Completion of reflective portfolio (pass/fail). This is a single decision which covers Fundamentals of Optometry Parts 1 and 2
• Entrustment scores given by clinical supervisors at each undertaking of an EPA which generates a score between 1 and 4 where:
  1 = Observation of activity only 
  2 = Activity performed under direct supervision 
  3 = Activity performed under reactive supervision 
  4 = Activity can be performed unsupervised 
• Decision on progress from first to second year made by a competence committee who review these entrustment scores along with other key metrics across the whole year such as attendance and performance in formative MCQs. For a learner to progress the committee needs to be convinced that entrustments levels specified in the ‘Practical Skills’ section have been reached (30 credits).

Formative

• Immediate feedback on MCQs 
• Immediate feedback on team based application exercises 
• Immediate feedback from supervisors on EPAs
• Periodic meeting and review of all formative assessment from TBL and EPA with academic advisor and year team if needed.

Summative

• Feedback on integrated case based examination following summer exam period
• Written feedback on reflective portfolio
• Feedback from the competence committee on decision to progress.

The MSci optometry uses a TBL approach to teaching and learning. As such, learners are required to engage with a number of self-directed learning activities including reading. In year 1, reading material is provided for students by staff but they are encouraged to search for their own additional resources to supplement learning. Directed reading will be from optometry journals, eBooks and clinical resources (e.g. College of Optometrists Guidance, LOCSU resources). As clinical practice is constantly changing, this material will be reviewed each academic year, and then again before each session is delivered, to ensure it remains relevant.

Scheduled activity hours:

• TBL Events: 42 hours
• Practical classes: 55 hours
• Practise & Simulation: 18 hours
• Learning to Learn: 30 hours