ECTS credits ECTS credits: 4.5
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Hours of tutorials: 8 Interactive Classroom: 17 EEES Clinics: 35 Total: 60
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Applied Physics
Areas: Optometry
Center Faculty of Optics and Optometry
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable
The main objective is to provide students with the necessary clinical experience in primary care for visual and ocular health, to face professional practice confidently. By the end of this course, students should have achieved the following objectives:
- Develop communication skills, data recording, and clinical history writing.
- Acquire the clinical skills necessary for examining and treating patients.
- Gain the ability to examine, diagnose, and treat visual anomalies with a particular emphasis on differential diagnosis.
- Understand the nature and organisation of different types of clinical care.
- Be familiar with the various protocols applied to patients.
- Understand and apply new technologies in the field of optometric clinic practice.
- Ability to act as a primary visual care provider.
- Skill in prescribing, controlling, and monitoring optical corrections.
- Acquire the skill to interpret and make clinical judgments based on visual test results to establish the most appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
- Gain proficiency in instrumental tests for evaluating visual functions and ocular health. Be able to conduct a comprehensive anamnesis.
The course focuses on the development of clinical competencies in the field of primary visual health care. Under the supervision of the faculty, students will actively participate in the evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients. The content is organised around two main areas:
- Basic Optometric Evaluation: Students will conduct comprehensive visual exams on real patients, including the creation of clinical histories, interpretation of diagnostic tests, establishment of a clinical diagnosis, and proposal of appropriate treatment, with special attention to differential diagnosis.
- Specialised Clinical Optometry Care: Various specific areas of professional practice will be addressed, including Contact lens fitting and follow-up; Evaluation and treatment of binocular vision dysfunctions and accommodative problems; Clinical management of low vision cases and visual rehabilitation processes.
These competencies will be developed through two types of training activities:
- Seminars: Sessions aimed at presenting, analysing, and discussing clinical cases. The preparation of referral reports and the development of clinical judgment will be encouraged.
- Clinical Placements: Direct and supervised participation in the Optometry Service, with practical application of optometric procedures in various clinical settings.
- Martín R, Vecilla G. Manual de Optometría. Ed. Panamericana, 2010
- Nancy B. Carlson, Daniel Kurtz, David A. Heath, Catherine Hines. Procedimientos Clínicos en el Examen Visual. Ed. Génova, 1992.
- González-Cavada Benavides J. Atlas de Lámpara de Hendidura. Ed, Complutense, 2000.
- Edwards K, Llewellyn R. Optometría. Ed, Masson-Salvat, 1993.
- Grosvenor T. Optometría de atención primaria. Ed. Masson, 2004.
- Pickwell, D., Anomalías de la visión binocular: Investigación y tratamiento. Ed. JIMS, 1996.
- Scheiman, M. H. y Wick, B., Tratamiento clínico de la visión binocular, disfunciones heterofóricas, acomodativas y oculomotoras. Ed. Ciagami, 1996.
- Goss, D. A., Ocular accommodation, convergence & fixation disparity. Ed. Butterworths-Heinemann, 1995.
- Rosenbloom AA y Morgan MW. Vision and aging. 2ª edition. Ed. Butterworth-Heinemann, 1993.
- Zadnik K. The ocular examination. Measurements and findings. Ed. W.B. Saunders Company, 1997.
- García G. Manual de refracción. Ed. Masson-Salvat, 1992.
- Benjamin WJ. Borish,s Clinical Refraction. 2ª edition. Ed. Butterworth Heinemann, 2006.
- Rosenbloom AA y Morgan MW. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Optometry. J.B. Lippincott Company. 1990.
- Milton M. Hom and Adrian S. Bruce. Prescripción y Adaptación de Lentes de Contacto. Elsevier Mason. 2007
- González-Cavada Benavides J. Atlas de Lámpara de Hendidura. Ed, Complutense, 2000.
- Nathan Efron. Butterworth-Heinemann. Complicaciones de las Lentes de Contacto. Elsevier España, S.A. Madrid, 2005
Knowledge:
- Know_49: Understand the nature and organisation of different types of clinical care.
- Know_50: Understand the various protocols applied to patients.
- Know_51: Understand the visual screening techniques applied to different populations.
- Know_52: Understand the new technologies in the field of optometric practice.
Skills and Abilities:
- Skills_1: Think integratively and approach problems from different perspectives with critical reasoning.
- Skills_2: Organise and plan work effectively.
- Skills_3: Interpret results and identify consistent and inconsistent elements.
- Skills_4: Work effectively as part of a team.
- Skills_5: Maintain an ethical commitment, as well as a commitment to equality and integration.
- Skills_7: Demonstrate organisational, planning, and leadership abilities.
- Skills_8: Analyse data and interpret experimental results in the fields of Optics and Optometry.
- Skills_23: Develop communication skills, data recording, and clinical history writing.
- Skills_25: Ability to prescribe, control, and monitor optical corrections.
- Skills_29: Use clinical and instrumental protocols in the examination associated with contact lens fitting.
- Skills_30: Apply clinical procedures associated with contact lens fitting in cases of refractive and ocular dysfunctions.
- Skills_33: Acquire the clinical skills necessary for the examination and treatment of patients.
- Skills_34: Apply visual screening techniques to different populations.
- Skills_35: Apply new technologies in the field of optometric practice.
Competencies:
- Competence_1: The ability to gather and interpret relevant data to make judgments that reflect on relevant social, scientific, or ethical issues.
- Competence_2: The ability to debate and communicate, both in writing and orally, information, ideas, problems, and solutions related to Optics and Optometry to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Competence_3: The development of the learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy.
- Competence_4: The ability to apply theoretical and practical knowledge acquired during the degree in a professional manner and to competently approach and resolve problems, as well as to prepare and defend arguments in both academic and professional contexts related to Optics and Optometry.
- Competence_5: The ability to learn autonomously, work in a team, organise time and resources, and acquire new knowledge and techniques in Optics and Optometry.
- Competence_6: The ability to recognise the ethical, social, economic, and environmental implications of professional activities and to apply risk assessment criteria.
- Competence_10: The ability to interpret and apply clinical judgment of visual test results to establish the most appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
- Competence_11: Conduct a comprehensive anamnesis.
- Competence_12: Measure, interpret, and treat refractive errors. Measure, interpret, and treat accommodative anomalies and binocular vision disorders.
- Competence_13: Fit contact lenses and ocular prostheses to improve vision and the external appearance of the eye.
- Competence_14: Examine, diagnose, and treat visual anomalies, with particular emphasis on differential diagnosis.
- Competence_15: Identify and analyse environmental and occupational risk factors that may cause visual problems.
- Competence_16: Act as a primary visual care provider.
- Competence_17: Measure, interpret, and treat accommodative anomalies and binocular vision disorders.
- Competence_18: The ability to practise the profession with respect for patient autonomy, beliefs, culture, genetic, demographic, and socio-economic factors, applying the principles of social justice and understanding the ethical implications in a changing global context.
The course methodology is based on integrating theoretical and practical knowledge, aiming to develop advanced clinical competencies in real-world visual care settings. Learning is structured through guided and supervised face-to-face activities, including seminars, clinical practice, and tutorial sessions.
- Interactive Seminar Classes – 20 hours/student: These classes will be held in small groups (1:20 teacher/student ratio) to facilitate active student participation. Each session will last 1 hour and focus on analyzing and discussing real or simulated clinical cases. Activities will include: Full presentation of clinical cases, including the collection of clinical histories, diagnostic test results, differential diagnosis, and proposed treatment; Preparation of referral and handover reports to other professionals, justifying the clinical decisions made; Tutor-led discussion aimed at developing clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and professional communication skills; Simulation of real clinical situations to enhance organisational skills and teamwork.
- Interactive Practical Classes – 30 hours/student: These will take place in the Optometry Service at USC in face-to-face sessions of 3 hours per group, according to the established academic schedule, with a 1:5 teacher/student ratio. Students will apply previously acquired knowledge and skills in real contexts during these sessions. This course is associated with Service-Learning (ApS) programmes such as “Visual Care for Children and Youth at Risk of Social Exclusion” and "Visual Screening in the Educational Environment", so part of the practical work will take place within these projects. Each student must keep an individual record of the clinical cases they participate in throughout the course.
To participate in clinical practice, students must meet the following conditions: The mandatory use of a white lab coat during all practical sessions; Have a flashlight with a pinpoint light and a 20 cm ruler for visual examinations; Attend with appropriate attire for the clinical setting (shorts, sportswear, and head-covering garments are not allowed, except for cultural or religious reasons, duly justified); The use of mobile phones or other electronic devices is prohibited during clinical sessions (their use may lead to expulsion from the session or a negative grade for that session).
- Tutorials: These can be held in person or electronically using the Moodle platform chat or TEAMS. The virtual classroom for the course will be activated at the start of the academic year. In cases of fraudulent completion of exercises or tests, the regulations outlined in the Student Academic Performance Evaluation and Grading Review Policy will apply.
The evaluation of the course will be based on three main components: theoretical content and seminars, practical content, and student participation/attitude. Each component will contribute a specific percentage to the final grade, provided that the minimum required grades are achieved.
- Evaluation of Theoretical Content and Seminars: Interactive seminar sessions will be evaluated mainly through oral presentations or written assignments throughout the semester. If these activities replace the final seminar evaluation, the teaching staff will inform students in advance. The grade obtained in these activities will constitute the final grade for this section. In addition, students will have an official in-person exam date, set according to the schedule approved by the Centre's Board. This exam may consist of multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, theoretical topics, or the resolution of a practical case, in order to assess the student’s ability to apply acquired knowledge. If a student takes this final exam, the grade obtained will completely replace the grade previously achieved in seminar activities, and it will be recorded as the final grade for this section, with no possibility of keeping the previous grade. The seminar section will account for 20% of the final grade (2 points out of 10). For this score to be included in the final calculation, the student must achieve a minimum grade of 1 point in this section.
- Evaluation of Practical Content: The evaluation of the student’s skills in handling all the practical content of the course will be carried out through continuous assessment and practical exams: 1) Continuous assessment, which will account for 50% of the grade (5 points), will take place through in-person sessions in the Optometry Service; 2) Practical exam, which will account for 20% (2 points) of the grade, will be conducted in person. The student must reach a minimum of 4.5 points in the total practical evaluation to combine it with the grades from other sections.
Any practical sessions missed due to student absence will be marked as zero in the continuous assessment. To request a recovery of a missed practical session or a one-time change of group, this must be done with a properly justified cause; in the case of a group change, it must be arranged with another student to maintain the teacher/student ratio established by the Optics and Optometry Degree’s report on clinical practices, and it must be approved by the involved teachers (failure to meet this requirement or lack of explicit approval from the affected teachers may lead to the exclusion of the student from the practical session at its start). Additionally, failure to attend more than two clinical practice sessions will result in the loss of the right to take the final practical exam.
- Participation/Attitude: This will add 1 point to the final grade. To include the participation/attitude score in the final grade, the student must have at least the required minimum grade in the theoretical and practical content evaluations. This component will be divided as follows: 0.7 for practical sessions and 0.3 for seminars.
The overall grade for the first assessment of the course will be the sum of the grades obtained in practical exams, seminars, and participation/attendance/attitude, provided the minimum requirements for each component are met. The practical evaluation will account for 70% of the total grade (50% continuous assessment and 20% exam), seminar evaluation will account for 20%, and participation/attendance/attitude will account for 10%.
In the second assessment of the academic year, the student will need to retake the part(s) (practical and/or seminar) that they failed, while maintaining the participation/attendance/attitude grade obtained during the course.
For cases of fraudulent completion of exercises or tests, the regulations outlined in the Student Academic Performance Evaluation and Grading Review Policy will apply.
The total personal work hours for the student are 52.5, distributed as follows:
- Autonomous individual or group study: 20 hours.
- Writing exercises, conclusions, or other assignments: 7 hours.
- Programming, experimentation, or other work on the computer/laboratory: 8 hours.
- Recommended readings, library activities, or similar: 9.5 hours.
- Preparation of oral presentations, debates, or similar: 8 hours.
- Initial and continuous review of the course content in subjects such as Fundamentals of Optometry, Optometry I, Optometry II, Optometry III, Contactology I, Contactology II, Clinical Optometry I, Binocular Vision Anomalies and Visual Rehabilitation, Deontology and Legislation, and Low Vision.
- Use of tutorial hours to clarify doubts and discuss points.
- Daily review of clinical cases to resolve possible doubts as promptly as possible before the next clinical session.
It is recommended to read the following regulations:
- Attendance regulations for classes in the EEES-adapted teachings at USC: https://minerva.usc.es/xmlui/handle/10347/13189
- Deontological Code and Clinical Good Practices Manual for Optometrists: https://coocv.com/codigo-deontologico/
- Optometry Service Regulations: https://www.usc.gal/es/servicios/unidades/servicio-optometria
María Jesús Giráldez Fernández
- Department
- Applied Physics
- Area
- Optometry
- Phone
- 881813526
- mjesus.giraldez [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
Gonzalo Garcia Dominguez
- Department
- Applied Physics
- Area
- Optometry
- gonzalo.garcia [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: LOSU (Organic Law Of University System) Associate University Professor
Eva Punín Dorrio
- Department
- Applied Physics
- Area
- Optometry
- Category
- Professor: LOSU (Organic Law Of University System) Associate University Professor
Dolores Purificación Ferreiro Figueiras
- Department
- Applied Physics
- Area
- Optometry
- Category
- Professor: LOSU (Organic Law Of University System) Associate University Professor
Elena Fraga Pumar
- Department
- Applied Physics
- Area
- Optometry
- elena.fraga.pumar [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: LOSU (Organic Law Of University System) Associate University Professor
Silvia Garcia Montero
- Department
- Applied Physics
- Area
- Optometry
- silvia.garcia.montero [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: LOSU (Organic Law Of University System) Associate University Professor
Alexander Dubra Fernandez
- Department
- Applied Physics
- Area
- Optometry
- alexander.dubra [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: LOSU (Organic Law Of University System) Associate University Professor
Carlos Garcia Resua
- Department
- Applied Physics
- Area
- Optometry
- carlos.garcia.resua [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: Temporary PhD professor
Rosa Calo Santiago
- Department
- Applied Physics
- Area
- Optometry
- rosa.calo [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: LOSU (Organic Law Of University System) Associate University Professor
Hugo Pena Verdeal
Coordinador/a- Department
- Applied Physics
- Area
- Optometry
- hugo.pena.verdeal [at] usc.es
- Category
- PROFESOR/A PERMANENTE LABORAL
Jacobo García Queiruga
- Department
- Applied Physics
- Area
- Optometry
- jacobogarcia.queiruga [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: Temporary supply professor to reduce teaching hours
| Thursday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLIS_02 | Spanish | Classroom 2 |
| 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Spanish | Classroom 3 |
| 05.29.2026 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom 1 |
| 05.29.2026 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom 2 |
| 07.07.2026 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom 3 |