Skills for Assessing Common Eye Conditions and Managing Chronic Otitis Media

An education session for GPs to improve their knowledge and skills in the diagnosis of common eye conditions and assessment and management of chronic otitis media.

An interactive 2 hour lecture style presentation for GPs and GP registrars.  There will be two specialist speakers that will present on:

1.     The assessment and management of common eye conditions
2.     The assessment and management of chronic otitis media

Dr Rebecca Haward
Dr Haward is a graduate of Monash University and completed her ophthalmology training in Melbourne. She has recently returned from a year-long subspecialty fellowship in the United Kingdom at Bristol Eye Hospital. Dr Haward is now working as an Ophthalmology Consultant with positions at The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, The Alfred Hospital, and Heatherhill Eye Clinic, Frankston. She continues to work in her subspecialties of Medical Retina and Ocular Immunology (Uveitis), as well as in general ophthalmology including performing cataract surgery.

Dr Jean- Marc Gerard
Dr Gerard is an ENT consultant at The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and is qualified in ENT surgery with a specific interest in otology and neurotology. Prior to moving to Melbourne, Dr Gerard worked as a staff physician at the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi between 2014 and 2017. In 2012, after completing his training at the Free University of Brussels and being accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education of the French Community of Belgium, he worked as a consultant in the Otology and Neurotology Department at the University Hospital Saint - Luc (University of Louvain) until he was appointed head of the department. Dr Gerard also created and managed the Cochlear Research Centre for Advanced Cephalic Surgery in Brussels from 2010 to 2014 and participated in the development of surgical techniques for hearing implants and implantable microphones. He was appointed co - chairman of Oto - rhino - laryngology in the faculty of psychology and speech therapy, Catholic University of Louvain (UCL) and Free University of Brussels (ULB), Belgium in 2011.

Learning outcomes:

• To develop an approach to the assessment of the eye and improve skills for objectively examining eye problems in the General Practice setting
• To increase GPs’ understanding of the differential diagnoses of common presenting eye symptoms, and to develop a safety framework in their diagnostic approach, including improved recognition and detection of red flags for serious eye conditions
• To improve understanding of the pathophysiology and chronic evolution of chronic otitis media
• To differentiate between the different types of chronic otitis media and utilise the right treatments for the right presentation
• To improve diagnosis and management of Eustachian tube dysfunction and have a safety net approach to red flags for when to refer