Cataract, medical retina and disc assessment

The Cataract/medical retina/ disc assessment short course has been designed to meet the training needs of band 6’s and 7s who wish to develop their knowledge and skills in disease recognition, management and intervention of cataract, medical retina and disc assessment.

Course structure

This course includes a mixture of online learning and in-person practical skills training. The online learning will be available for three weeks to give you time to immerse yourself in the course followed by practical posterior segment examination.

There will be 8 hours of online learning and the practical session will last 4 hours.

Featured topics 

Cataract:

• Theoretical knowledge of cataract surgery.
• Pre- and post-operative care.
• Risks and benefits of refractive surgical options.
• Counselling patients on surgical risks and types of lens implantation.
• Principles and methodology of biometry.

Medical retina

• Anatomy and physiology of the retina.
• Knowledge and understanding of choroido-retinal pathologies.
• Perform posterior segment examination.
• Understand imaging: spectrialis, autofluorescence, widefield and infrared.
• Concept of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF).

Disc assessment

• What is cupping?
• What is a normal/abnormal disc?
• How to assess cup/disc ratio.
• Pattern of glaucomatous visual field defect.

Benefits of attending

By the end of the course attendees will:

• Gain an understanding of the management and assessment of common eye conditions in relation to medical retina, cataract and glaucoma.
• Develop theoretical knowledge to allow practitioner to safely management patients undergoing cataract operation.
• Develop skills and knowledge required to undertake fundoscopy.

Who should apply

Nurses, orthoptists, prosthetists and operating department practitioners (ODP)

Funding your place - exciting news for Nurses and AHPs working for Trusts in England

We are delighted to share details of an NHS funding initiative which is available for this course.

Funded by Roche Products Limited, The NHS Prevent & Protect Training Initiative enables NHS Nurses and Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) working within an NHS England Trust to attend UK-based medical retina training courses typically chargeable to your NHS Trust or the individual. These courses support the development of practical skills to enable/maintain the delivery of medical retina services. The Moorfields Cataract, Medical Retina and Disc Assessment course is one of the courses eligible for this funding.

If you are a nurse or AHP working within an an NHS England Trust (including Moorfields staff) you can apply for the funding, which will cover the course attendance fee and also an amount towards necessary travel and accommodation (conditions apply), for example to attend the practical day. Please read the instructions below carefully to understand what to do next:

1. First book a place on the course, selecting the option to request to make payment by invoice at checkout. This will reserve your place while your funding application is processed.
2. Next register to apply for your funding. Once you have provided your details, you will be asked if you have already booked on to a course. You should select the option 'Yes - I can supply an invoice'. You do NOT need to upload an invoice at this stage. You will then be asked to provide the details of the course that you have booked. Review your registration details when prompted and submit your application.
3. Finally, please advise us of your funding application number by emailing moorfields.courses@nhs.net. We will then send an invoice to the funding administration team for payment. Please note that your place on the course is not confirmed until the invoice has been paid. We will notify you when payment is received.

Acccreditation

A certificate of attendance and CPD points will be awarded at the end of the course.

Requirement

In order to access the course content online, you will need access to a computer (laptop or desktop) or a mobile phone.

Next course date

The next course will commence from Monday 31st March 2025. The practical day will take place on Monday 28th April.