ABDO launches new course in paediatric eyecare on World Sight Day 

ABDO launches new course in paediatric eyecare on World Sight Day 

The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) has launched a new professional certificate in paediatric eyecare that will enable eyecare practitioners to develop advanced skills and knowledge in relation to many different aspects of paediatric eyecare, including myopia management.

The flexible, CPD-accredited professional certificate will be delivered online by leading academics, with a training and assessment day at ABDO’s National Resource Centre in Birmingham. The qualification is a Professional Certificate in Paediatric Eyecare and will carry the post-nominals Prof Cert PE. It has been registered by OFQUAL as a Level 7 qualification.

Kevin Gutsell, ABDO president, says: “The launch of this eagerly awaited new qualification on World Sight Day is a chance to highlight the importance of children’s eyecare and the increasing awareness of the public that vision quality is paramount to successful learning. The appetite for enhanced knowledge and skills in this subject was obvious at the recent ABDO Clinical Conference and this new professional certificate will help to meet this demand.”

Alistair Bridge, ABDO CEO, commented that: “Offering a Level 7 professional certificate is a first for ABDO and has involved a big team effort from colleagues across the organisation. We look forward to receiving members’ feedback on this exciting addition to our core CPD programme and hope that employers will support their dispensing opticians in developing their expertise in this key area of practice.”

Dr Alicia Thompson, ABDO director of education, research and professional development, says: “We are delighted to launch this new professional certificate in paediatric eyecare which is a subject that is gaining a great deal of welcome attention across the world.

“It has been an honour to work with the unit authors on this project, all experts in their respective fields and passionate about their subject matter.

“The course content forms a base to guide independent study in  the subject areas. We encourage learners to complete all suggested tasks, read the literature, research further into topics and reflect on all unit content before then applying for the final practical assessment.”

Building on the expertise that dispensing opticians develop in gaining ABDO’s Level 6 FBDO Diploma, there are ten units in total. Nine units are delivered online as recorded lectures, and one unit is a practical in-person training and assessment day which will be offered several times per year at the ABDO National Resource Centre in Birmingham.

The units are:

• Unit 1 – Advanced communication and psychology
• Unit 2 – Paediatric dispensing
• Unit 3 – Facial development and research data
• Unit 4 – Refractive management
• Unit 5 – Neurodiversity and learning differences
• Unit 6 – Interventions
• Unit 7 – Specialist care
• Unit 8 – Paediatric low vision
• Unit 9 – Paediatric common eyecare conditions and acute presentations
• Unit 10 – Practical assessment

Each theoretical unit will have an MCQ assessment and will be CPD accredited.

The course and exam fee is £1,500 for ABDO members and £1,850 for non-members.

Find out more about the professional certificate in paediatric eyecare here.