The College of Optometrists

Any hints and tips on the pqe BV exam would be really appreciated.

Does anyone know the type of BV pxs that could be presented at the exam in Bradford at xmas.

Quickly losing the will to live with Optometry so far it has been a very 'bumpy ride'. So not expecting the retake in Dec to be any better after what I have been through outside this. So any help would be good.

Also please tell me why this would be a good career. Someone (CL fitter) described to me that Optometry was a trade not a profession. Not inspiring really, note I don't denounce trades but I was hoping for a profession with this one.

Difficult to keep motivated when people are so down on the career.

Any body out there!!!

Maybe not what you need to hear, but there's no point trying to second guess what BV patient you will get. Try to see as many BV patients as possible in the next month - get into your local orthoptic dept if you can.

For fairly obvious reasons you are unlikely to get a new onset incommitant deviation, so make sure you are aware of muscle sequelae, and what longstanding 3rd, 4th and 6th nerve palsies are likely to look like.

Make sure you know about brown's and duaine's syndromes, as most examination centres have a few of these patients whom they keep for exams. Remember your patient is not guaranteed to have any incommitant deviation - they could be a decompensating exophoria, or a fully accommodative eso.

Remember to be practical and safe at all times - if you don't know the answer, be prepared to say this, but remember you still have to be able to deal with any situation that comes up in practice, so you need to be able to think it through, and decide how you would manage the patient safely.

Good luck

Lisa

Also remember to learn your muscle and nerve anatomy, I remember being asked to draw various nerve pathways in my resit!

On the Optometry trade or career issue, like anything it is what you make it. I have worked in community practice in multiple and independant practice and as a locum, I have worked in Univerity and as a sessional and now full time HES optometrist, I have always found something I have enjoyed in all of those various roles. I have no regrets about Optometry as a career, it has been good to me, it'll never make me ridiculously rich (although it might if I was more financially savvy) but it is a comfortable living and fulfilling and you can make a difference to peoples lives. It is more difficult now but not imposible and there are opportunities out there if you look hard enough.

Make sure that you can do a good cover test and motility. Practice on evey patient.