Professional Certificate in Medical Retina
The University of Ulster is the first higher education institution in the UK and Ireland to launch a new specialist course that could help prevent thousands of people every year from losing their sight.
The postgraduate Professional Certificate in Medical Retina, which is also the first of its kind to be accredited by The College of Optometrists, will enhance the knowledge and skills of already experienced and skilled optometrists working in community based practice and local hospitals.
Currently there are over 220,000 people on the island of Ireland with impaired vision or blindness, and every day a further five people lose their sight. The new course offers enhanced knowledge in a variety of common medical retina conditions such as those linked to diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration – two of the main causes of blindness in the developed world.
Tara Moore, who is leading the new teaching initiative said: “This is a landmark development in a highly specialised area of clinical practice which once again places the University at the forefront of delivering state-of-the-art teaching for eye care professionals.
“The number of people with sight threatening eye disease is very concerning, and will increase significantly in future years, particularly with an ageing population. Optometrists in practice are in an ideal position to identify a broad range of serious eye conditions, which could lead to blindness, during routine eye examinations.
“The Professional Certificate in Medical Retina will allow optometrists to enhance their knowledge and skills, bringing them right up to date with the latest technology and management protocols.”
The new course has been made possible due to close collaboration between Ulster’s Optometry teaching team, numerous clinician colleagues from hospitals around Ireland and UK and, the significant commitment of Cathedral Eye Clinic in Belfast.
Professor Johnny Moore, owner and medical director of Cathedral Eye Clinic said: “We are delighted to offer Tara and her colleagues our world class clinical facilities in Cathedral Eye Clinic and access to our Consultants to enhance clinical acumen and allow those at risk of blinding eye disease to be screened and referred for prompt treatment.”
The course is taught primarily online, allowing practicing optometrists the flexibility to complete the course around their work.
For further information on the course please contact Tara Moore t.moore@ulster.ac.uk or Raymond Berine r.beirne@ulster.ac.uk
To apply for the course online please CLICK HERE