Imaging the Eye in 3 Dimensions

For 2012 and beyond this course is ONLY available as an In Office Workshop, team taught by 2 instructors with a minimum of 2 days of instruction

* Imaging the Eye in 3 Dimensions Granted 23 hours of JCAHPO Category A (1:1) and 23 hours Ophthalmic Photographers' Society Category A CECs (1:1).

Faculty: Denice Barsness COMT, CRA, ROUB, FOPS
Director of Ophthalmic Imaging Services,
California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, California

John Michael Coppinger, Course Director and Owner, JMC Eye Photo

Download the Course Description (pdf)

Scheduling this In Office Workshop:
Downloadable pdf for scheduling and cost of this course

Prerequisites: None

Target Group: Ophthalmic personnel who wish to learn to perform or to improve their ability to perform retinal fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, ocular coherence tomography and ultrasound B scans. The course is designed to present a comprehensive look at the eye by combining the three most widely used imaging techniques for the posterior segment of the eye, and to present these three modes simultaneously to maximize the understanding of how what and why we image diseases with these instruments, and to teach the student how the three testing modalities interrelate and compliment each other.

Course Level: Basic to Advanced - Since this course represents a new approach to teaching imaging, this course is appropriate for all levels of students, from those with little or no experience to those who consider themselves advanced ophthalmic imagers. During skill transfer sessions, students will be grouped by experience, so the level of experience and the skill transfer content will match the different levels of each student.

Course Description, Instructional Objectives and Teaching Method are located below Boxed Course Timeline.

  Day 1 AM The Imaging Tools CECs
8:15am Posterior Segment Anatomy in 3 Dimensions 0.75
9:15 Fundus Cameras - Principles and Instrumentation 0.5
9:45 Ocular Coherence Tomography - Time D & Spectral D 0.5
10:30 B Scan Ultrasonography - Principles & Parts 0.5
11:00 Instrument Skill Transfer Session 1.25
12:15 Lunch Break
  Day 1 PM The Complete Exam
1:15 The Computer Interface - Using the Computer Programs 0.75
2:00 Imaging The Challenging Patient 0.75
3:00 Instrument Skill Transfer Session 1.0
4:00 Diagnosing Testing Artifacts / Troubleshooting 1.0
5:15 Open Lab Work Review *Portfolio Prep for Certification 1.0
Total credits Day 1 8.0
  Day 2 AM Visual Recognition and Documentation of Common Posterior Segment Disease
8:15 Brief Anatomy Review 0.5
8:45 Common Posterior Segment Diseases 2.5
11:15 Instrument Skill Transfer Session 0.5
12:15 LUNCH BREAK
  Day 2 PM Advanced Imaging Modes to Examine and Image the Subject Eye
1:00 Monochromatic Imaging and Autofluorescence Imaging 0.5
1:30 Stereo Imaging / Graphic 3D 0.5
2:00 7 Standard Fields / Study Certification 0.5
2:30 Peripheral Retinal Imaging w Fun/OCT/Ultra 0.25
3:00 Mapping Fields and Creating Montages 0.5
3:30 Digital Image Adjustments Primer 0.75
4:15 Instrument Skill Transfer Session 0.75
5:15 Open Lab / Work Review / Portfolio Prep / Certification 1.0
Total credits Day 2 8.0
  Day 3 AM Imaging with Injectible Materials
8:15 Angiography with Fluorescein and Indocyanine 0.75
9:00 Procedure and Digital Methodology with different dyes 1.0
10:15 Precautions with and Reactions to dyes 1.0
11:15 Instrument Skill Transfer Session 0.75
12:15 LUNCH BREAK
  Day 3 PM Descriptive Interpretation of Fluorecein Angiograms, OCTs & Ultrasound B Scans
1:15 Descriptive Interpretation of Fluorescein 1.0
2:15 Descriptive Interpretation of OCT 0.5
2:45 Descriptive Interpretation of Ultrasound B Scan 0.5
3:30 Specific Case Presentations for Interpretation Review 1.5
5:00 Award Certificates Course ends
Total credits Day 3 7.0

Course Description: The course is designed to teach all the necessary skills to perform retinal fundus photography, fluorescein and indocyanine angiography and digital image processing as it pertains retinal photography in all its forms, Ocular Coherence Tomography, and Ultrasound B. Course content includes anatomy and physiology of the eye, anatomy and design of the fundus camera, OCT and Ultrasound B units, methods of dilation, instrumentation artifacts and errors, filter use in the fundus camera, the properties of fluorescein and indocyanine dye, injection of fluorescein dye by properly authorized medical personnel, potential reactions to fluorescein and indocyanine dye and proper medical management of such reactions, and introduce them visually to posterior segment abnormalities requiring fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, OCT and Ultrasound B.

The course will present all three modalities simultaneously in rotating sequence, looking at eye abnormalities, disease by disease, layer by layer, to show students how to recognize and understand how each testing method relates to the other and adds in combination to the diagnostic information produced for the doctor.

The course will also emphasize the computer component of the instruments, and demonstrate the proper methods for using the imaging tools to protect, enhance and archive all images produced.

The three-person faculty will rotate lectures as we go through each content area. While each faculty member has skills in all areas, Ms Barsness will primarily supervise Ultrasound, Mr. Gilman OCT, and Mr. Coppinger Photographic Imaging.

Instructional Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Describe the basic anatomic components of the ocular posterior pole.
  2. Recognize various abnormalities and diseases affecting these structures.
  3. Explain the underlying physical laws and properties governing B-scan biometry.
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of B-Scan techniques to identify normal intraocular and orbital structures.
  5. Perform a 6-step ultrasound B screening exam.
  6. Demonstrate the concepts of axial, transverse and longitudinal positioning.
  7. Describe the purpose of Ocular Coherence Tomography.
  8. Identify components of an OCT imaging device.
  9. Perform the steps necessary to acquire OCT digital images.
  10. Determine the quality of the images made.
  11. Decide which method of imaging is appropriate for any particular patient.
  12. Evaluate the results with OCT comparative program system software.
  13. Produce OCTs of good quality consistent and troubleshoot specific problems with the OCT unit and its software.
  14. Save, archive and print an OCT.
  15. Set the reticule to properly use a retinal fundus camera.
  16. Make properly focused photographic images with a retinal fundus camera.
  17. Photograph the ocular fundus using color and black and white digital modes.
  18. Recognize commonly imaged posterior segment abnormalities.
  19. Produce stereo pairs of the retinal fundus as desired.
  20. Use the various filters in the fundus camera to highlight abnormalities.
  21. Properly prepare to perform fluorescein and indocyanine angiograms.
  22. Differentiate between fluorescein and indocyanine dyes and explain the properties of each and the risks of each.
  23. Practice all the above-learned concepts during skills transfer sessions.
  24. Create a computer patient record in any of the instruments databases.
  25. Save, adjust, archive and print an Angiogram, OCT or Ultrasound B-scan.
  26. Properly label and maintain the associated patient records.
  27. Descriptively interpret a retinal fundus photo, a fluorescein or indocyanine angiogram, an OCT Scan and an Ultrasound B-scan.

Teaching Methods: The course will utilize lectures and skill transfer workshops. This course is designed as a self-contained, complete unit. Each section builds upon the previous one. Fundus Cameras, OCTs and Ultrasound Units will be used to demonstrate each lesson, with instrument use opportunities for students in the skill transfer sessions during the day (and in an optional session in the evening). Students will be grouped by experience. Students will perform the same task in rotation in each group.