Professional Certificate in Glaucoma

Primary open-angle glaucoma is one of the chronic ophthalmic conditions selected by the Department of Health, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and the College of Optometrists as being appropriate for shared care between primary and secondary healthcare sectors. Following successful pilot schemes, it is clear that monitoring in the form of co-management by the HES and optometrists in the community will eventually become usual practice.

It is thus essential that, in addition, to simply being able to detect the condition, optometrists should have a comprehensive understanding of the natural history of the disease and its surgical and pharmacological management. The information imparted on this course is informed by current research and incorporates all of the most recent developments relating to glaucoma identification, progression and treatment modalities.

Who is it for?

This course prepares healthcare professionals including optometrists, nurse practitioners and orthoptists to participate in formal ‘referral refinement’ and Ocular Hypertension/suspect COAG monitoring schemes.

Timetable

Term 2

Wednesday 2 April 2025
(Module materials go live on Moodle, from this date onwards you will have access to the online materials)

Teaching Dates:
Day 1 - Wednesday 30 April 2025 (online)
Day 2 - Thursday 1 May 2025 (face to face workshop)

Assessment:
OSCEs –  Thursday 5 June 2025
Written Exam - Thursday 12 June 2025

Benefits

This course is intended to ensure that core competencies are current (including those required for pathways involving ‘repeat measures’) and to provide additional specialist knowledge and skills for monitoring patients with diagnosed OHT and suspect COAG with an established management plan.

This course is worth 15 credits

This short course module is designed to be flexible in allowing you to study and reach your goals at your own pace. Our health CPD courses are credit-bearing modules that contribute to a University degree or award.

Transfer course credits towards postgraduate taught degree

As a health care professional, once you've completed this course you could offset 15 credits as part of a postgraduate programme, continuing your study with further modules to make up a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) 60 credits, Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) 120 credits or Master of Science (MSc) 180 credits qualification (all credits must be awarded within five years of study commencing).

This course aims to provide you with:

• the specialised, advanced theoretical and practical knowledge base necessary to become a member of a glaucoma shared care/co-management scheme
• the Professional Certificate in Glaucoma: the first level of award on the path to the Higher Certificate and Diploma in Glaucoma awarded by the College of Optometrists.

On this course, you will learn about:

• the glaucomas: epidemiology, classification and clinical features
• visual fields: instrumentation, testing and sources of error and interpretation of results
• examination and evaluation of the ONH: Technique and normal optic nerve head (ONH), features of glaucomatous optic neuropathy
• differential diagnosis of glaucoma and influence of co-morbidity
• history-taking and methods of anterior segment examination
• tonometry/pachymetry: Calibration technique, sources of error, infection control
• ocular hypertension
• principles of monitoring
• professional and National guidance on COAG and OHT/clinical governance, patient information and decision support
• case based discussions.

Teaching

The style of teaching includes face to face lectures, case based discussion tutorials, demonstrations from leading industry specialists as well as hands-on practical sessions.

Assessment

The final assessment will consist of a written component and six practical skills assessments. Questions will test your critical and evaluative understanding, clinical recognition skills, ability to differentially diagnose and your application of knowledge.

Assessment component 1 - written

• multiple-choice questions
• patient management case scenarios
• short answer questions (covering all aspects of the course).

Assessment component 2 - practical

• practical skills assessment (which tests your ability to examine patients and discuss observations and management options).

The course has been accredited by the College of Optometrists. UK-registered optometrists who complete the course will be awarded a Professional Certificate in Glaucoma.

This course is worth 15 credits and can be taken as part of the MSc in Clinical Optometry/MSc in Advanced Ophthalmic Nurse Practitioner (Advanced Practice in Health and Social Care).

This course is provided by the School of Health & Psychological Sciences.

Credits

This course is worth 15 credits toward eligible programmes.

Overseas students can only apply as part of a programme, not as a stand-alone course.

Course requirements:

• You should be a UK GOC registered optometrist satisfying all legal requirements to be eligible to practise in the UK
• Overseas optometrists/medical practitioners will be accepted on an ad-hoc basis providing your undergraduate syllabus and clinical responsibilities are similar to those of a UK optometrist/medical practitioner.

English requirements

If your first language is not English, one of the following is required:

• A first degree from a UK university
• A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City, University of London as providing adequate evidence of proficiency in the English language, for example, from institutions from Australia, Canada or the United States of America.
• International English Language Test Service (IELTS) a score of 7.0 is required with no subtest below 7.0
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) score 72 required
• TOEFL 100 overall with 24 in Writing, 20 in Listening, 19 Reading and 20 Speaking
• Other evidence of proficiency in the English language, which satisfies the board of studies concerned, including registration with your professional regulator.