Refraction, Contact Lenses & Low Vision

8:30 AM to 12:00 PM

6th Floor Conference Room Kellogg
Kellogg Eye Center
1000 Wall Street
Ann Arbor, MI

Allied Health Professional: $50.00
Kellogg Eye Center Employee: $0.00

Registration and breakfast begins at 8:00am.

ON-LINE, EMAIL, and PHONE REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. You must register on-site from 8:00 – 8:30am on Saturday, January 19^th prior to the course. To register quickly, please download and complete the registration form and bring it with you.

This course will provide a basic understanding of the refraction process and challenges in prescribing glasses for the difficult patient.

Course Description

We will explore contact lens fitting and the purpose of various types of contacts: soft, specialty soft, rigid gas permeable, hybrid and scleral lenses. In addition, an overview of low vision optical and technology devices will provide technicians with knowledge about the options in caring for those patients who cannot be corrected to normal vision.

Learning Objectives

The technician will be able to discuss optical correction with patients, and have an understanding of the role of both standard glasses/contact lenses and specialty products needed to ensure that our patients achieve their optimal functional vision.

Lecture Titles

Basic Principles of Refraction
Helios Leung, OD, PhD
This talk will explain the purpose and details of the refraction process. Participants will gain an understanding of determining sphere power, orientation or astigmatism and astigmatism power, as well as adds needed for reading.
The “Glasses Re-Check” Patient - Understanding Challenges in Prescribing Glasses
Paul Grenier, OD
Some patients return for a glasses re‐check because they are not satisfied with vision at distance or near. This talk explores the more frequent patient complaints with their glasses. It will allow the technician to know which questions to ask and how to prepare the patient who is struggling with tolerating glasses.
Basics of Contact Lens Fitting
Colleen Podd, OD
Contact lens prescriptions differ from glasses prescriptions. This course will describe how you convert from glasses Rx to contacts, while taking into account the vertex distance and fitting parameters. Spherical soft contacts and toric soft contacts will be reviewed, along with features of a good fitting soft contact lens.
Specialty Contact Lenses
Karen Deloss, OD
This lecture goes beyond soft contact lenses to describe the uses of rigid gas permeable, hybrid and scleral lenses for complex ocular conditions, including keratoconus, severe dry eye/ocular surface disease and corneal transplantation.
Low Vision Care - Optical Devices and Technology
Donna Wicker, OD
The optics of magnification using glasses, handheld magnifiers and telescopes will be discussed. Our low vision patients have specific needs that may be met with both optical devices and technology. The participants will become familiar with options to help patients accomplish their activities of daily living.