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Optometrist becomes first to gain laser surgery qualification
Don Williams successfully completes Royal College of Ophthalmologists’ laser surgery training
2 min read 8
02 October 2019
Don Williams (pictured) is the first UK optometrist to successfully complete the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCO)-accredited Birmingham Laser Simulation Course.
Mr Williams, who owns Edgbaston Eye Clinic in Birmingham, completed the course, which included techniques in YAG CAPs, YAG PI, SLT, retinal laser, argon laser and navilas laser, earlier last month.
The course is run by Ocular Simulation Course (OSC) and is accredited for four CPD points by the RCO.
Training culminated with a one-day examination and took the optometrist around a year to complete. “There is a lot more to learning laser surgery than just the procedure. As well as the theory, you must learn how to use the machines and technology is changing fast,” Mr Williams told OT.
The IP-qualified optometrist completed the training alongside eight trainee surgeons and highlighted that his optometric experience in performing gonioscopy and contact funduscopy was key to his success.
Mr Williams will have the opportunity to utilise his newly-acquired skills in a weekly full-day laser surgery clinic at City Hospital Birmingham, where he will focus on glaucoma-related laser surgery such as YAG PI and SLT.
Mr Williams was encouraged and supported through the training by consultant ophthalmologist, Imran Masood.
The optometrist finds career satisfaction from further education. He highlighted that: “As an optometrist, with the right training and the right mentorship, I think we can do anything. One of the reasons I wanted to complete this training was to demonstrate to training optometrists the options that are available after qualification.”
Reflecting on the qualification, Mr Williams told OT that “it felt amazing” to receive the final certificate. “It gave me a sense of achievement, having accomplished something that not a lot of your colleagues in optometry have achieved. It has certainly also helped increase my confidence too,” he shared.
“In my hospital work, I work in the complex glaucoma department and only see surgical glaucoma patients. When you are working with fellows and consultants and you then become qualified and able to do procedures such as laser, you begin to really feel like you are part of a team; you feel complete,” he added.
*This article has been updated to reflect that the Birmingham Laser Simulation Course is accredited, rather than facilitated by, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.
Mr Williams, who owns Edgbaston Eye Clinic in Birmingham, completed the course, which included techniques in YAG CAPs, YAG PI, SLT, retinal laser, argon laser and navilas laser, earlier last month.
The course is run by Ocular Simulation Course (OSC) and is accredited for four CPD points by the RCO.
Training culminated with a one-day examination and took the optometrist around a year to complete. “There is a lot more to learning laser surgery than just the procedure. As well as the theory, you must learn how to use the machines and technology is changing fast,” Mr Williams told OT.
The IP-qualified optometrist completed the training alongside eight trainee surgeons and highlighted that his optometric experience in performing gonioscopy and contact funduscopy was key to his success.
Mr Williams will have the opportunity to utilise his newly-acquired skills in a weekly full-day laser surgery clinic at City Hospital Birmingham, where he will focus on glaucoma-related laser surgery such as YAG PI and SLT.
Mr Williams was encouraged and supported through the training by consultant ophthalmologist, Imran Masood.
The optometrist finds career satisfaction from further education. He highlighted that: “As an optometrist, with the right training and the right mentorship, I think we can do anything. One of the reasons I wanted to complete this training was to demonstrate to training optometrists the options that are available after qualification.”
Reflecting on the qualification, Mr Williams told OT that “it felt amazing” to receive the final certificate. “It gave me a sense of achievement, having accomplished something that not a lot of your colleagues in optometry have achieved. It has certainly also helped increase my confidence too,” he shared.
“In my hospital work, I work in the complex glaucoma department and only see surgical glaucoma patients. When you are working with fellows and consultants and you then become qualified and able to do procedures such as laser, you begin to really feel like you are part of a team; you feel complete,” he added.
*This article has been updated to reflect that the Birmingham Laser Simulation Course is accredited, rather than facilitated by, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.
Comments (8)
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Anonymous07 June 2023
Well, Don, the rest of the UK will soon close the gap between Optometrists watching and Optometrists doing laser therapy. Thank you for sharing your experience
Frederick
Report Like 104
Lowvisionoptom02 October 2020
Great stuff Don, well done to you
Report Like 345
Manjinder Nahal, Gloucestershire15 September 2020
Well Done Don. Awesome, a true trailblazer!
Report Like 275
Paramdeep12 September 2020
This is amazing Don, well done and great to see you showing what is possible for optometrists - inspirational
Report Like 530
[email protected]09 September 2020
Congratulations, Don! What an achievement - I'm inspired to pursue similar routes after IP training!
Report Like 297
Nicholas Rumney07 September 2020
Inspirational Don. Well done. Lots of HES optoms doing it under the radar but great to see formal qualification. Next step in optometrist entry practice for SLT and YAG
Report Like 282
Don Williams08 October 2019
thanks Shammy
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Shammy07 October 2019
Excellent, well done Don!!
Report Like 482