Corso di laurea in Ottica e Optometria

Knowledge and understanding

The candidate should demonstrate knowledge, understanding and skills, and be able to communicate, execute and manage the needs of patients using contact lenses or which must begin to do so. 

Applying knowledge and understanding

Clinical skills and practices should be: 
Ability to insert and remove contact lenses of any type and instruct the patient to do so  
Ability to apply soft contact lenses  
Ability to apply hard contact lenses  
Understanding and skills in the application of a hard corneal contact lenses in astigmatism  
Understanding of the techniques of application of contact lenses in complex case  
The ability to record, document and explain its clinical data in contact lens management   
The ethical management skills, responsible and legal activities in contact lens management

The candidates should demonstrate knowledge, understanding and skills, and be able to discuss and undertake examinations and management of patients wanting to wear or who are already wearing contact lenses. Knowledge, understanding and testing skills should be demonstrated in the areas of :

(1) treatment and management of refractive/oculomotor/sensory integrative conditions using contact lenses,

(2) lens types and materials: hard lenses; haptics; lathecut, moulded, and spincast soft lenses,

(3) optics of contact lenses: curves, zones, widths and tear lens effects, sagittal depth; centre and edge thickness; flex, asphericity and toric designs and quadrantic specific designs, and oblong geometries with reverse curves,

(4) theories and methods of fitting: lens design, specifications of orders, lens verification and evaluation, insertion and removal techniques, design of wearing schedules, fluorescein evaluation and fitting criteria,

(5) patient selection based upon history, analysis of primary care data, correlations of data, facial physiognomy, and contraindications; and management based upon education and patient handling and control,

(6) the examination of a new prospective contact lens patient, the anterior segment examination and measurement,

(7) contact lens selection from presently available types and forms of lenses,

(8) care of lenses; handling; cleaning; preservatives available; disinfection methods and solutions,

(9) follow-up care; adaptation, physiologic and post-fitting complications, allergic responses, lens changes and mechanical problems,

(10) bifocal and astigmatic contact lenses; types, basis of selection and adaptation, techniques of fitting, and care for each,

(11) specially designed lenses and fitting procedures for keratoconus and irregular corneas, for keratoplastic and after refractive surgeries, sports vision, diseased and traumatic corneas, cosmetic (prosthetic) use, iris colour changes and colour vision deficiencies,

(12) Specially designed lenses and fitting procedures for Orthokeratologie.

Lectures (72 hours)

Laboratory practice (100 hours; 50+50, divided into 3 groups, approximately 33 hours per group)

Work in groups

Individual study

In order to take the Contactology 2 examination, it is necessary to have attended the Contactology 2 laboratory for at least 75% of the course hours and it is strongly suggested to have attended and passed the Contactology 1 examination.

Intended task:

1. Concise open question. "Identify the case method and procedures required to assess a particular clinical condition and the proposed solutions".
Duration: 45 minutes
2. Oral-practical examination

Expected task: Theoretical description and practical execution of a technique included in the programme

3. Group Work

Expected task:
Group presentation on a question identified at the beginning of the semester. (see sheet)
Duration: 10 minutes

The mark for the Contactology exam is calculated by summing the marks obtained from the different tests: theory, practical, Groupwork, exemptions.
The three tests are in fact considered assessments of different learning objectives (LO 1-5) and are therefore not averaged with each other but added together to form the overall final grade.
Each test still requires a minimum score of 60%.
Minimum score to pass the exam: 18/30.
On request, the examination can be taken in English.

Exemptions

Various exemptions will be offered during the course. The exemptions are not compulsory, they are optional. Those who do not take one or more exemptions may still register for the examination dates.

Books:

• AJ Phillips, L Speedwell. Contact Lenses. Butterworth-Heinemann (Sixth Ed, 2019)
• William A. Douthwaite. Contact Lens Optics & Lens Design. Butterworth-Heinemann (2005)
• L Lupelli, R Fletcher, AL Rossi. Contattologia, Una Guida Clinica. Medical Books (1998)

Attendance at introductory lessons and and laboratory rounds is mandatory (75% of all course in laboratory for exam access)