FRCA Curriculum – Opthalmic

Competence Source Curriculum Description
OP_IK_01 Intermediate Discusses the preoperative assessment of ophthalmic patients with particular reference to associated co-morbidities and how the care of high risk patients requiring ophthalmic surgery may be optimised
OP_IK_02 Intermediate Recognises that a relatively large proportion of patients requiring ophthalmic surgery are elderly and understands their particular needs including, but not exclusively, the effects of physiological changes associated with ageing and altered pharmacological responses
OP_IK_03 Intermediate Recalls/discusses the choice of local or general anaesthetic techniques in relation to the patient and surgery including their advantages, disadvantages and indications with particular reference to some or all of the following:

  • Cataract surgery
  • Strabismus surgery
  • Glaucoma surgery
  • Vitreoretinal surgery
  • Oculoplastic surgery
OP_IK_04 Intermediate Recalls/describes the oculocardiac reflex, its treatment and prevention
OP_IK_05 Intermediate Recalls/describes the action of anaesthetic drugs on the eye
OP_IK_06 Intermediate Recalls the physiological mechanisms which control intraocular pressure
OP_IK_07 Intermediate Recalls/discusses the drugs which may alter intraocular pressure
OP_IK_08 Intermediate Knowledge of precautions required for revision surgery in patients who have had a previous injection of intraocular gas
OP_IK_09 Intermediate Recalls/discusses the choice of techniques of anaesthesia for patients with penetrating eye injury
OP_IK_10 Intermediate Describes the operating conditions required for successful outcomes in ophthalmic surgery and how these can be achieved
OP_IK_11 Intermediate Recalls/discusses the special requirements of children undergoing ophthalmic surgery
OP_IK_12 Intermediate Describes the advantages and disadvantages of sedation techniques for ophthalmic procedures
OP_IK_13 Intermediate Outlines the safety precautions required during the use of lasers in ophthalmic surgery
OP_IK_14 Intermediate Recalls relevant applied anatomy required for insertion of local anaesthetic blocks for ophthalmic surgery [Cross reference applied basic sciences]
OP_IK_15 Intermediate Recalls/describes the techniques of local anaesthesia available for ophthalmic surgery including their advantages, disadvantages and indications with particular reference to:

  • Topical anaesthesia: local anaesthesia drops
  • Superficial injection anaesthesia: subconjunctival block
  • Needle blocks: extraconal [peribulbar] and intraconal [retrobulbar] injections
  • Canular blocks: sub-tenon’s anaesthesia
OP_IK_16 Intermediate Recalls/describes the risks associated with needle blocks
OP_IK_17 Intermediate Awareness of the national guidelines regarding local anaesthesia for intraocular surgery
OP_IK_18 Intermediate Awareness of specific risk of wrong-site surgery when operating on paired organs such as the eyes
OP_IK_19 Intermediate Outlines the specific factors in the postoperative care of patients who have had ophthalmic surgery