The College of Optometrists

Anyone just done their part As?

Got mine next week.

Any questions that completely freaked you out?

Share your experiences!

yeah had mine in cardiff last week. some areas that the examiners dwelt upon were slightly unexpected:

1) glaucoma drugs, their modes of action, side effects etc. took up a large part of my drugs exam. aston students were in for a bit of a shock because they claimed that they hadn't been lectured on this at uni. the biochemist seemed a bit of a lunatic and tore me down to pieces, yelling his head off and getting excited for no particular reason. he picked up a boxed drug, covered it in the palm of his hand and asked me what drug he was holding... i hadn't realised until then that x-ray vision was part of the requirements for the drug exam.

2) for FIT, was asked on the scientific basis of specular reflection. this took up about 10 mins of the exam as the examiner gave me a spade to dig my grave deeper and deeper. he also asked me to perform an indirect illumination of the central cornea to look for microcysts.

i was aked what i would do if i was in the middle of the desert and wanted to measure IOP. unless u carry a portable tonometer with you, the method to talk about would be digital palpitation. he asked me about its accuracy, and whether i believed his mate, who claims he can measure to the nearest mmHg.

3) For low vision, know the new method of registration, in what circumstances LVAs will be paid for, who maintains the register, etc etc Also know your telescopes inside out, including how you would modify a telescope for near, tell whether the light leaving a stand magnifier is divergent, the principles adopted by manufacturers with regards to stand magnifiers etc Be able to identify some non-optical aids. Was given a case scenario which had an albino patient, and i was asked to discuss my management options. I discussed use of their null point, contact lenses, tints, magnifiers etc. Know how to manage with optical and non-optical aids, common conditions like AMD, RP etc

4) Occupational optom, had the master himself, Dr Alan smith. Unfortunately I called one of the lamps a bulb and he wasn't too pleased about that.

5) For dispensing, they didn't care less about the knowledge I had. what they were however interested in was what I didn't know. They didnt let me talk about frame materials, lens materials etc. Kept talking about crap like this woman coming in to sue me for supplying an acetate frame despite her telling me she was allergic to it. And the question was... what are the chances that she will win the case?!?

6) Was asked about sheard's and percival's criteria for BV. Thoroughly know your management options for kids with heterotropia, and which ones you'd be happy to manage in practice. Know all your nerve pathways, including what aneurysms would manifest themselves as a sudden onset BV anomaly, and their differentiating aspects, e.g. differentiating a IIIrd nerve palsy caused by an aneurysm to the PCA rather than by microangiopathies such as diabteic retinopathy or hypertension (pupil spared in the latter)

One question which through me in IT was 'how much aqueous humour is produced in a day by a normal eye?'

I had no idea.

yep,dont worry if they call you names as well,its expected now ive sat my ones.you can tell them that your shoe size is 9,but they will say things like'you dont know what you talking about'-really?!