BCLA Ambassador, Cemma Ramful experienced a few days at an optometry practice. Here is her blog: 

Mid December I started working at Tompkins Knight and Son Optometrists for a few days before Christmas. Nervously I stepped into the practice unaware of how the week would unfold. As soon as I walked in I was greeted by the manager who introduced me to the rest of the lovely staff members, who throughout my stay made me feel the most welcome, and showed me around the practice itself. 

Now on the outside a contemporary Victorian house with beautiful exterior features, however inside this vintage building transformed into an optometric haven. The consulting rooms were largely jewelled with the finest equipment. The software used within the consulting rooms were also exceptional to patient benefit as a crisp photo or diagram would be captured and used to explain to the patient visually, the condition of their eye. I found that this way of communication resulted in greater patient satisfaction and made the patient feel as if they were in fact a patient, not just a customer. 

During my stay I worked within the pre screening section (diagnostic suite), which consisted of the Humphrey Visual Field Analyser , the latest Swept Source OCT images, Pachymetry measurements, and Optomap images on the Daytona. From the very first day I started working, I was taught straight away how to use the technology and how to communicate with the patients about the different imaging techniques. There was a huge diagram placed above on the back wall  which represented an Optomap scan and showed the different conditions which could be picked up within the scan. This really appealed to the patients because the photo is extensive and they can see what is happening but also it's visually pleasing to be able to view what the optometrist will view. Working with the imaging techniques was a fantastic experience for me as I learned a large amount and had the opportunity to view many conditions which showed abnormalities in the different photos and visual fields. I found that the communication within the practice was also very simple and efficient as after I had performed the imaging, the photos and results would immediately be transferred to the corresponding optometrist for that patient and any notes I would write regarding the results would also be saved straight away for the optometrist to look at. 

Not only did I spend time pre screening, yet also I was regularly invited in to observe and perform minor task during specific eye examination. This was a really good learning process as I learned a lot about keratoconus and how scleral lenses greatly improved eyesight. Those were the most outstanding experiences because some of the patients became very emotional after being fit with scleral lenses for the first time and I had never really realised how devastating keratoconus can be, and how much an optometrist can change someone's life completely. I learned a lot about scleral contact lenses and the pachymetry techniques which shows how well the scleral lenses vault over the cornea and whether it's a good fit or not.

Brian helped me get involved with patient care within the appointments as I helped to steady the eyelids for some new scleral topography Images and taking the IOP with a very sleek tonometer called the ICare Rebound tonometer. This was my favourite piece of equipment due to the simplicity and comfort to the patient without need of anaesthetic and without the necessity of contact lens removal. I also got involved with dry eye cases and was able to use the Tear Lab equipment which measures the is osmolarity of the tears and a specialised blepharitis tool which brushes the lash line to release the scales and debris so the meibomian glands are free of debris. 

My time at Tompkins Knight and Son was amazing and I gained so much primary knowledge about different contact lenses, and anterior eye conditions. I met some fantastic people and even got to try on some of the beautifully edgy spectacle range as well as understand the process of orthokeratology and myopia control. I'm hoping to go back to see Brian soon to start OrthoK for myself as there seems to be many pleased patients. I even got to feature in their contact lens manual! 

I'd like to thank Brian and the team for this opportunity and I would recommend anyone to take up this temporary role if offered in the further because it's a really enjoyable and fascinating and there is no other opticians quiet like it.