MCAs
Multiple choice answers Getting started in low vision is as easy as A, B, See By Gaynor Whitehouse FBDO (Hons) LVA. C-75872 – published August 2020 Six of the following questions were presented online to entrants to comply with the General Optical Council’s best practice specifications for this type of CET.
Which of the following cannot conduct a low vision assessment? a. Dispensing optician b. A low vision optician c. A contact lens optician d. An optical assistant d is the correct answer. A wide range of qualified professionals can conduct a low vision assessment. Within a practice setting, this would be anyone who holds a GOC registerable qualification such as an optometrist. This also includes dispensing opticians, as low vision is one of their GOC core competencies, and contact lens opticians as they would have had to undertake the dispensing qualification also. In a practice, the low vision optician would be the preferred person to conduct the assessment as they have received additional specialist training. What is the key driver for a patient to benefit from a low vision assessment? a. Patient motivation b. Practitioner experience c. Large choice of magnifiers d. Referral for emotional support a is the correct answer. All of the possible answers are important but none will be of any use unless the patient is motivated to participate fully in the appointment and is committed to making changes in their way of life; recognising that compromises may need to be made. If the patient has not yet reached the acceptance stage and is not actively seeking support, then success will be limited. However, the assessment is still a useful experience for the patient if only so that they know what support is on offer when they are ready to explore it. Where might informal low vision support occur? a. In hospital b. In a practice c. In a support group d. At a low vision charity c is the correct answer. Informal low vision support may occur in many settings and focus on emotional support or advice. Support groups, emotional befriending and peer support are as important in supporting a low vision patient in their journey as formal support in the form of professionals at/in a hospital or practice environment.
Both formal and informal support and assessment are needed to provide holistic care for the patient. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2020, which of the following definitions would be classified as low vision? a. Low vision is visual acuity less than 6/24 and equal to or better than 6/60 in the better eye with best correction b. Low vision is visual acuity less than 6/24 and equal to or better than 6/60 in the better eye without correction c. Low vision is visual acuity less than 6/18 and equal to or better than 3/60 in the better eye with best correction d. Low vision is visual acuity less than 6/18 and equal to or better than 3/60 in the better eye without correction c is the correct answer. There are many definitions used. This is the WHO definition and is distinct and different from those used to certify a patient as sight impaired or severely sight impaired in the UK, which uses a combination of visual acuity and visual field. Which would be the most accurate layman’s description of low vision? a. A person cannot see well without using their spectacles or contact lenses b. A person cannot see even when using spectacles or contact lenses c. A person has a very high prescription d. A person has very thick spectacles b is the correct answer. It is useful to have a very basic way of explaining low vision to a patient and others. By saying a patient cannot see even when fully corrected can help people to understand low vision, and help others to empathise by giving some measure of understanding that they can relate to. It is important to understand that low vision cannot be corrected with spectacles no matter how strong they may be. It is not simply a case of needing a new pair of specs. Answer c and d may (or not) also relate to low vision but is not an indicator on its own. Who can offer certification of low vision leading to registration? a. A low vision optician b. An optometrist c. An ophthalmologist d. A rehabilitation officer
Participants are advised that the GOC’s Enhanced CET Principles and Requirements v4 document states that for text article CET questions: “A proportion of the questions should require the application of existing professional knowledge to determine the answer”. This can include personal research online, or following up the article references.
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DISPENSING OPTICS DECEMBER 2020
