Optom Academy are available to provide one to one or one to two courses for trainee ophthalmologists to make them competent for their exams on refraction and retinoscopy. The cost per day is £350, and the patients and practice is provided by us. If you would like any courses tailor made please do not hesitate to contact us.

The course includes access to videos for free as well as notes. Please register on our online portal to access these. 

For those only wanting to access the notes and videos the cost is just £25.00 for 3 months.

The course covers:

Retinoscopy on a variety of patients with different prescriptions (hyperope, myope, oblique cyls, child cyclo and non-cyclo)

Subjective refraction, both spherical refinement as well as cross – cyl

Binocular balance using Humphriss, +1.00 blur and Near addition

Focimeter – with and without prism, and hand neutralisation

PLEASE NOTE: THE TRANING HAS BEEN ADAPTED TO REFLECT THE CHANGE IN EXAM DUE TO COVID, FOCUSING MAINLY ON RET ON DUMMY EYE AND FOCIMETRY

Notes/handouts provided by us. Tips from optometrists that do this day in and day out is invaluable!

Next event – Sunday 10th September, Birmingham 10am-4.30pm

To book, please click here

Feedback from Bummi – 2023

I was introduced to the OA by my colleague after I had failed the exams a couple of times.

The format of the one on one training is identical to the hybrid format now adopted by the royal college. The tips I got – in terms of key words to say during the stations  with patients, reflect the marking scheme for the exam. 

Shamina was very supportive and positive because I was quite overwhelmed at the prospect of the hybrid exam.

I would definitely recommend the course to future candidates.

Thank you

Feedback from Ahsan Mahmood 2023 Dudley

I recently sat in refraction certificate exam Birmingham 2023, and passed. I took a face to face refraction course with Shamina and cannot emphasise enough how it helped me to pass the exam. She also conducted mock exam and shared tips and tricks for exam.

Highly recommended 

Feedback from INEGBEDION Ehinomen 2023

I signed up for this course after hearing positive feedback from a few of my senior colleagues.  I really appreciated the one-to-one tutoring as this enabled me to ask as many questions as I needed and the practice was tailored to my weaknesses.  Having had no prior practical experience to retinoscopy, this course was very clear in terms of the theory and this was further reiterated in the written materials provided.  Overall, I would definitely recommend this course to aid preparation for the refraction exam.

Feedback from Rana – London 2022

 

I did this course a week before my exam, and I am so glad I did! Over the course of one day, Shamina provided exactly the kind of personalised and hands on experience that is essential to passing this exam. It was a great avenue to ask all the silly questions I had, practice my skills in a safe environment, make mistakes, and have a confident teacher correct those mistakes on the spot so I never made them again. This is a phenomenal and valuable course that everyone could benefit from, even if you’re already confident in your practical refraction skills. The notes provided by Shamina and the patients provided to practice on were a great addition too. Highly highly recommend! Thank you for helping me pass first time Optom Academy!

Salim Khan ST3 2021

The course was very helpful. Individualized attention was invaluable. Separate instructors for retinoscopy and focimetry.

Relaxed atmosphere. The focimetry model was different in the exam. So practice on different models. Highly recommend this course.

Michelle Dowell ST3 2021

To Optom Academy:

Thank you so much for being so accommodating and helpful on my journey to passing my Refraction certificate examination.

I found this course very useful. Both Shamina and Reena were great tutors and were excellent at clearing up any doubts and giving me the confidence I needed to pass my exam and to pass it well at that. They went through important concepts and practice followed by timed OSCE style stations which made the day’s course very efficient and useful. I strongly recommend this course if you need to improve your technique and do well in this exam. Thanks again to the team!

Feedback from Zaria Ali – Manchester 2020

I passed! Thank you do much for all your help and for fitting me in so early! It meant I could crack on and practice. It also took away a lot of the fear because I didn’t have to try figure things out from a book and could practice what you taught me immediately during that afternoon on your friends.

Really appreciate it and I hope everything is going well at the practice. I also hope you’ve been able to set up your academy upstairs, you’re a great teacher 🙂

Feedback from TS ST2 – Leicester 2020

Shamina and her team were brilliant at delivering focussed one-to-one training for the refraction exam in a really relaxed environment. She focussed the teaching on your strengths/weaknesses and was so approachable. Everything was thought through and exam-focussed with flexibility to practice what you needed to work on. Shamina herself is really friendly and a clear teacher. I would happily recommend the course ???? -TS

Feeback from Joe – Sheffield ST1 2020

“An excellent course, very well geared to the refraction certificate, and really well led by Shamina. I felt the day greatly enhanced my knowledge and refraction skills in a relaxed environment and would happily recommend to anyone preparing for the exam – Joe ST1”

Feedback from Mohammed Raza Cheema ST3 Newcastle – 2019

”Shamina’s course has been instrumental in helping me not only understand the principles of practical refraction but also to pass my refraction certificate exam. Being this my 2nd attempt, I was very apprehensive about the whole process of refraction but she made it really easy and helped me practice each step in detail and made sure I understood the practicalities of each step. She gives very individual teaching and tries to focus on your weaknesses from the start. 
I would definitely recommend this course to everyone. Good luck.’

I thoroughly enjoyed the learning I received from the Optom Academy. Shamina and her team were excellent and made me feel at ease with the complex aspects of retinoscopy and refraction. I would highly recommend this course for all ophthalmology trainees who wish to excel in the refraction exam.