program for Optometric assistants

See below for details on each session, listed by day and time.

Continuing Education

Continuing education credits will be offered for each session in the program dedicated to Optometric Assistants (OAs) at the CAO 2023 Congress. Each participant will receive a certificate with CE credits for attended sessions. 

 

PLEASE NOTE: Sessions in the OA stream will be presented in French, with simultaneous interpretation in English.

Friday, July 7, 2023
6:30 AM - 5:30 PM
QCCC / CCQ - Foyer 2
 
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
200 A

Join us at the CAO Breakfast Session hosted by Clarion Medical Technologies and discover the secrets to Dr. Roland Toyos' highly successful Dry Eye Clinic. With years of experience and expertise, Dr. Toyos will share his knowledge on how to create a Dry Eye Center of Excellence using cutting-edge technology like the OCULUS Keratograph® 5M and the LUVO DARWIN Multi-Modality system. Learn how he provides personalized care to his patients, ensuring they get the relief they need. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights from a true dry eye expert. Register now for the "Creating a Dry Eye Center of Excellence" event.

Learning objectives:

  • Dry Eye Implementing
  • Dry Eye in your Practice
  • Valuable Insight from a Dry Eye Expert


Breakfast provided and sponsored by: Clarion Medical Technologies

202

This program will provide an overview of geographic atrophy (GA), including diagnostic testing and risk factors, the role of complement in pathophysiology of GA. The program will also discuss current managements options of GA and discuss a patient case.

Learning objectives:

  • Evaluate the natural history and underlying mechanisms of geographic atrophy (GA)
  • Discuss imaging techniques for the diagnosis and monitoring of GA lesions
  • Review risk factors associated with rate of GA progression

Breakfast provided and sponsored by: Apellis

200 B

It’s a hot topic these days – how to manage ocular surface disease ahead of surgery. But what happens when it is a two-year waitlist ahead of cataract surgery? What artificial tears can truly make a difference in patient outcomes after surgery? Join Dr. Piuze to think about both the short- and long-term education you can provide to patients to set them up for success and set yourself apart from the crowd through managing ocular surface disease.

Learning Objectives:

  • Demonstrate how you can treat dry eye disease from mild, moderate to severe even in patients who are recalcitrant or refractory ahead of ocular surgery.
  • Review and assess the tools and treatment to build your practice to treat dry eye disease including full office support to achieve success for the practice and patients.
  • To build your practice through increased patient retention, enhanced interactions with your patients by addressing their reoccurring dry eye symptoms ahead of ocular surgery.


Breakfast provided and sponsored by: Théa Pharma

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
202

Learning objectives:

1. Identify computer vision syndrome
2. Determine who is most susceptible to computer vision syndrome
3. Identify and refer candidate patients with computer vision symptoms
4. Manage the symptoms

Session presented in French with simultaneous interpretation available in English 

9:35 AM - 10:35 AM
202

Learning objectives:

1. Manage day-to-day changes in the workplace on both a personal and team level;
2.Learn how to motivate yourself and your team members;
3. Find solutions to excel in management

Session presented in French with simultaneous interpretation available in English 

10:35 AM - 11:00 AM
202
 
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
202

Optometric clinics play a huge role in eye health, as such, the role of optometric clinics in emergency care continues to grow at an accelerated rate. This has been amplified by the pressure in hospital emergency rooms and the reluctance of patients to go to hospitals. It is essential that optometric assistants and optometrists collaborate and communicate appropriately in order to provide high quality care.

The objectives of this course will be to:

1. Cover the most common ocular emergencies seen in clinics
2. Discuss the level of urgency of different types of consultations
3. Determine how to schedule emergencies to be more efficient in the office
4. Review questions to ask when triaging emergencies and provide a sample triage sheet
5. Explore the types of ocular emergencies that are compatible with a remote consultation
6. Establish strategies to build a good reputation for urgent care and increase the volume of emergency eye care visits
7. Take time to answer questions and have an open discussion about emergencies

Session presented in French with simultaneous interpretation available in English 

12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
400 B/C

OPTOFAIR is the only national tradeshow dedicated to the optometric profession. It provides a dynamic forum for optometric professionals to meet with suppliers and partners from across Canada and more. Please visit the Who's Exhibiting page or Optofair for more information.

 

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
202

Upon completion of this training, you will be able to:

1. Collaborate more effectively with the optometrist when referring a patient for cataract surgery
2. Better inform the patient on the content and duration of pre- and post-operative examinations
3. Better answer patients' questions about new intraocular lens products

Session presented in French with simultaneous interpretation available in English 

4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
202

Upon completion of this training, you will be able to:

1. Better inform patients about LASER refractive surgery
2. Better understand the benefits and risks of different types of LASER refractive surgery (LASIK or surface ablation)
3. Collaborate more effectively with the optometrist when referring a patient for LASER refractive surgery

Session presented in French with simultaneous interpretation available in English 

Saturday, July 8, 2023
6:30 AM - 4:00 PM
QCCC / CCQ - Foyer 2
 
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
202

Learning Objectives:

1. What is low vision and what eye diseases cause it?
2. What is low vision care and how does it help people with vision loss?
3. What is a low vision device and how does it help people with vision loss?
4. What happens during a low vision exam?

Session presented in French with simultaneous interpretation available in English 

Breakfast provided

8:15 AM - 9:15 AM
202

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn how your company strategically fits into your market.
2. Learn to assess where you excel and where you lag behind your competitors.
3. Determine if you are satisfied with your market position or if and how you want to improve it.

Session presented in French with simultaneous interpretation available in English 

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
202

Learning objectives:

1. Discover what a certified optometrist assistant can bring to your business.
2. How to compete with online shopping in your store and at the same time build customer loyalty.
3. How to combine fashionable frame trends with prescription requirements.

Session presented in French with simultaneous interpretation available in English 

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
QCCC / CCQ - Foyer 2
 
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
202

Learning objectives:

1. Effectively relate the patient's prescription to the appropriate lens technology level.
2. Establish the patient's level of satisfaction with their current prescription ophthalmic lenses and determine how to proceed in the patient's best interest.
3. Have a practical understanding of the difference between spherical, toric, aspheric and atoric spectacle lenses.

Session presented in French with simultaneous interpretation available in English 

12:15 PM - 2:15 PM
200 C
 
2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
202

Learning objectives:

1. Know what this disease is
2. Know the risk factors
3. Know the diagnostic tests
4. Know the different treatments
5. Be able to assist the optometrist in the management of patients suffering from dry eye

Session presented in French with simultaneous interpretation available in English 

6:00 PM - 11:59 PM
200 C

Join us for the closing dinner party to enjoy the Québec City Convention Centre’s creative cuisine and taste menus showcasing Québec products!  Fine palates and avid foodies will have the opportunity to mingle freely around different food stations and discover unique artists’ awe-inspiring acrobatics stunts and interactions.

After dinner, get ready for an unforgettable experience with ground-breaking comedy musical acrobatic variety show that combines mind-blowing stunts with electrifying music mashups. The Painchaud family will deliver jaw-dropping acts with a show boasting an array of music that will have the entire audience tapping their toes to the beat. The live music features a multitude of instruments, each skillfully played by one of the four talented members of the group. Their high-energy performance brings people together through the power of music, creating an evening that is sure to be remembered for years to come. Don't miss it!

Dress code: business casual