The Mother Of All Optometry Threads!

Just going to revive this thread to ask if anyone who's doing optometry would recommend getting your own ophthalmoscope and retinoscope. They're expensive, but if it's worth it I guess it'd be worth it.

Here at ARU, they pretty much force you to have your own ophthalmoscope and retinoscope, along with trial frame, cross-cyls and other things that evade my memory right now; reason being, they don't have enough of their own equipment to go around everyone, and you'll use them every day when you're working so have to invest anyway.

As a student, the bigger companies offer you pretty hefty discounts, plus I think it's Keeler that offer student sets - ophthalmoscope, retinoscope, pen torch, cover disc, budgie stick, pocket opthalmoscope, batteries and chargers, and possibly more things that are evading memory - that work out quite inexpensive.

Ah I guess we're quite lucky at GCU. We have ophthalmoscopes and retinoscopes in every cubicle in the Eye Clinic. Even in the pre-clinic area (where we can practice) we have partial trial cases, cross-cyls and the ophthalmoscope and retinoscope.

I guess it'll be worth getting the stuff anyway 'cos, as you say, I'll use them every day for many years. I think keeler are going to do a sales pitch to the optom students soon where you get 20% off if you buy that day so I'll see if I can get bigger discounts when they come along. Some of the prices are just crazy for these things.

Ah yes, you're the one who's at Caley; what year you going into now? Did you ever tell that first year asking about the workload what it's like? Think I quoted you on their thread...

Yes, some of the prices are crazy ... but you also get insane guarantees on them (think it's possibly even a lifetime guarantee) and they're good for thirty or forty years. Plus, you get your pick if it's your equipment; for example, my hands are too small to use the Keeler specialist, and seeing as that's what most of them are at ARU, it's better than I own my own Professional.

Just not the best time to be investing in thousands of pounds worth of equipment, when you're a student.

Into second year now (by the skin of my teeth!)

Erm I can't remember - I may well have done - I found the workload okay, but the content very, very boring. We had boring lectures on the history of the profession and the GOC, business management and other useless subjects.
Fortunately, second year seems to be more practical based and clinically relevant.

We've been told (by a scary lecturer) to try all the ophthalmoscopes in the clinic (they apparently have loads of different makes and models) and see what's easier to use. I'll hopefully find a cheaper one easier to use! If the guarantee is actually useful I guess the cost won't be so bad, but most guarantees aren't.

We had our introduction to ophthalmoscopy today which was pretty good. Hate the whole invading peoples space part though.

Oh well, you're through either way - just have to fix the mistakes of the past. That's what first year's for, though: settling in and getting down to it.

Now see, if I had the luxury of four years to run an optometry course in rather than three, I wouldn't be filling it with history of the GOC and the professional (is the business module where you got the lecturer who couldn't spell 'ophthalmology'?); I'd just make the course that bit more relaxed. Do you feel like knowing the history of the profession and the GOC will make you a better optometrist? Do you like it at Caley?

Second year here looks a lot more practical too; we're having a lot more time for clinical optometry modules this year, which is what I've been looking forward to. How did your ophthalmoscopy go? Almost cried during my first time, because I couldn't see anything through it, in spite of spending twenty minutes straight on it. Went away for ten or fifteen minutes, came back ... and it was so clear. What else have you got coming up?

The scary lecturer's advice is good: they really are different, you just need to find what ones work for you. If you're looking now, you could get some good second-hand deals - people that didn't pass first year, decided not to go back, that sort of thing.

So you guys have a part time job in an opticians or something?

Yep, found I knew a fair bit of the practical side of my ophthalmic materials module and it helps keep the car on the road so well worth it!

Oh right kool, cuz i was just thinking of applying but then im only in 1st yr though.

It's worth thinking about, are you at Caley?

I think when local opticians need staff they tell the uni and everyone in the optometry and ophthalmic dispensing courses get an e-mail.

There are often a few notices on the notice board (ground floor and level one across from the official academic notice board).

Worth keeping an eye out for them.