City, University of London to provide Professional Certificate in Paediatric Eye Care

City, University of London has been accredited as a new provider of the College of Optometrists’ Professional Certificate in Paediatric Eye Care. In response to demand from the sector, the course has been produced for optometrists, particularly those working in primary care, who want to develop their skills and build their confidence when working with children. The resulting certificate will provide optometrists with the knowledge, skills and behaviours that are needed to provide the highest standard of eye care to infants and children.

The course will involve 12.5 hours of face-to-face lectures and nine hours of workshops, covering a variety of topics such as stereopsis, prescribing and dispensing. It will be assessed with a written paper, an OSCE, and submission of four case records. The first course will run from 22 –  24 May 2017. The course is designed as equivalent to a 15 credit level 7 QAA module, involving approximately 150 hours of learning.

The course is already available at two other universities in the UK; at Cardiff and Ulster Universities where courses are currently running.

Jackie Martin, director of education at the College said: “We’re delighted that City, University of London has been successful in gaining accreditation from the College to provide this popular course for optometrists. We know that optometrists want to develop skills in this area, so it’s great that it is now available at three universities in the UK. It is an important undertaking as it is designed to enable optometrists to develop professionally and progress in their careers.”

Dr Michelle Hennelly MSc, programme director of the School of Health Sciences, Optometry and Visual Sciences at City, University of London, said: “City was the first University to offer the full suite of professional certificates and we are now delighted to add the Professional Certificate in Paediatric Eye Care module to our provision. The Professional Higher Certificate in Contact Lenses, Professional Certificates in Medical Retina, Glaucoma, Low Vision and now Paediatric Eye Care can be taken either as CPD or as part of the MSc in Clinical Optometry.”

The Professional Certificate in Paediatric Eye Care is part of a growing collection of higher qualifications developed by the College in order to enable optometrists to provide extended services in key areas such as contact lens practice, glaucoma, low vision and medical retina. Courses are undertaken on a part-time basis and are designed to fit with life in a busy practice or hospital department.

In addition to the new certificate, City, University of London also offers the Professional Higher Certificate in Contact Lens Practice, the Professional Certificate in Glaucoma, the Professional Certificate in Low Vision and the Professional Certificate in Medical Retina.

Further details are available from: