BLOG: Dedicated track will bolster understanding of Dry Eye disease among UK eye care professionals

A peer review and a series of four specialist workshops will provide eye care practitioners attending BCLA UK a thorough understanding of the best ways to diagnose and manage Dry Eye disease.
The GOC-approved track – to be delivered on both days of BCLA UK – will help raise delegates’ levels of confidence and skill to complete the ‘Dry Eye Practical Accreditation Examination’.
Interactive workshops will familiarise eye care practitioners with clinical instruments specific to Dry Eye disease diagnosis and management, using the findings of the TFOS DEWS II report as the basis for evidence. 
The four 30 minute workshops, each of which will have a capacity of 20 delegates, will focus on Tear film stability and meibography, ocular surface staining, subjective non-invasive break-up time and tear meniscus height, lid evaluation and osmolarity and punctal plugging and InflammaDry.

The peer review, led by Professor James Wolffsohn and Sarah Farrant, will feature four key discussion strands in the peer review: 

- Triaging the patient with suspected Dry Eye Disease – Elicitation of Dry Eye risk factors and symptoms will be practiced. Participants will have an opportunity to share their own experiences of dealing with symptomatic Dry Eye patients and identifying the key triage questions through effective history and symptom taking.

- Making the diagnosis of Dry Eye Disease – Clinical results will be interpreted and the rationale behind the diagnosis will be discussed. Case scenarios will be given with the aid of an in-depth facilitator checklist to give a more detailed guide to the depth of knowledge and skills expected. 

- Classification of Dry Eye sub-types. – Investigation and sub-classification of Dry Eye Disease will be performed live on stage and a video resource showing how to perform the diagnostic techniques will be presented. 

- Management of Dry Eye Disease – The importance of using a step-wise approach to Dry Eye management will be highlighted through case discussion. This will give an opportunity to provide a brief review of several treatments for Dry Eye disease, including when to adopt pharmaceuticals or refer. 

The Dry Eye track is aimed at members taking the BCLA Dry Eye certificate. BCLA UK will be split over two cities for the first time this year, with the first session being held on Monday, 4 June at Conference Aston in Birmingham and the second scheduled for Sunday, 10 June at IET Savoy in London.

CET points will be available across the programme. Find out more about the Dedicated Dry Eye track here.
 
BCLA UK is open to both members and non-members – the member rate is £99 plus VAT and £199 plus VAT for non-members. You can register for the event here.