BLOG: Iain Johnson – one of the first to achieve the BCLA Certificate in Dry Eye Management & Contact Lens Retention  

The BCLA certificate in Dry Eye Management and Contact Lens Retention was launched to give eye care practitioners the chance to obtain a formal qualification in a subject that is becoming increasingly vital in 21st century optometry.

One of the first recipients of this coveted accolade is Iain Johnson, who reveals why the qualification is so important, not just for him but also his practice and the patients attended his newly formed Dry Eye clinic.
“I am a CLO who has worked in optics for many years. Alongside working in-practice I also lecture at events; mainly on the subject of eye health and nutrition. In the past few years I have focused heavily on the independent sector and the more complex side of contact lenses and extended services. When I heard about the certificate I thought it was a great opportunity to get involved in more dry eye services, as we were starting to set up a dry eye clinic. 

“I had no real expectations going into the course. I was hoping that it would be heavily focused on the latest research and I was very happy once I started.
“The online learning was very straightforward and interactive. I found the lectures to be top quality and with enough detail but at the same time straight to the point with the learning objectives. The website was easy to navigate and there were absolutely no technical problems – I think it would be easy even for people that aren’t computer savvy.
“I attended the BCLA dry eye track in Birmingham and found it to be extremely useful. The lecture by Sarah Farrant was brilliant and it was great to see a live demonstration of some of the techniques. All of the sponsors offered their services and again, this was very informative but more importantly useful. 
“I really liked the OSCE format with all the stations back to back. As with any exam the nerves make it incredibly difficult to answer even simple questions! But the examiners were all great and the atmosphere helped.  I liked the quick-fire stations, especially without a long wait between them.
“I would wholeheartedly recommend this course to any Optom or CLO who either wants to improve their dry eye skills or update their knowledge with the most up to date research.”

You can find out more about the Certificate in Dry Eye Management & Contact Lens Retention here.