Watch Locum Day 2026 on-demand

Locum optometrists keen to learn more about medical retina essentials, multifocal contact lenses and more can watch webinars from Locum Day 2026 on the OT Education library on-demand.

OT, in partnership with the AOP and the Vision Team at Johnson & Johnson, hosted the day of webinars curated specifically for locum eye care professionals earlier this month (1 November).

Optometrist Jeenal Shah, from Bristol Eye Hospital and Cardiff University, led a webinar titled Medical retina essentials for locum optometrists.

The session outlined key areas in the detection and management of common medical retina conditions, considering optical coherence tomography interpretation, clinical signs and symptoms, differential diagnosis, and further investigations, referral, and management options.

Dr Ian Beasley, head of education and commercial partnerships at the AOP and OT clinical editor, noted key takeaways from the sessions delivered during Locum Day.

His top take-home message from the medical retina session was: “Interpret OCT alongside the history and examination: assess the location of fluid, retinal pigment epithelium changes, haemorrhage and other retinal signs to guide the differential diagnosis.”

Marie-Therese Hall, a professional affairs consultant in the Vision Team at Johnson & Johnson, presented a session on First fit success with soft multifocal contact lenses.

In the session, Hall looked at the design and material properties that differentiate multifocal soft contact lenses from one another, and considered how combining this knowledge with an assessment of anterior eye health, prescription, and use of the manufacturer fitting guides, can help to achieve successful first-fit outcomes.

Sharing his takeaway notes from the session, Beasley highlighted the importance of optimising the ocular surface before fitting and evaluating binocular, real-world vision: “Assess everyday tasks alongside visual acuity to understand whether the lenses meet the patient’s needs.”

Another stand-out message from the lecture, Beasley shared, was: “Communicate positively and realistically: explain adaptation and the likely visual experience, tailoring expectations to the patient’s priorities.”

The session, Lenses, lasers and locums: keeping up with modern cataract and refractive surgery, provided an overview of contemporary intraocular lens (IOL) options and refractive surgery techniques.

Leading the webinar, Purvi Thomson, head of optometry at OCL Vision, discussed the main IOL categories, their optical principles, visual outcomes and trade-offs, in addition to current refractive procedures.

Thomson explored the role of optometrists before and after surgery, including what to assess during pre-operative consultations, setting realistic patient expectations, and recognising common post-operative presentations.

Discussing his reflections from the session, Beasley noted the importance of carefully assessing suitability: “Corneal thickness and shape, prescription stability, previous surgery and retinal risk influence whether laser correction, an implantable lens or lens exchange is appropriate.”

Lifestyle should also be considered when discussing surgery and the suitability of different procedures and lens designs, he shared.

The final session, Help! I’m a locum and... saw Aisha Patel, optometrist and clinical advisor for the AOP, discuss how to manage common clinical, ethical and regulatory scenarios encountered by locum optometrists.

The take-home messages from this session emphasised the importance of effective communication and documentation, Beasley highlighted.

One key takeaway for locum optometrists Beasley noted from the session was: “Prepare for unfamiliar practices: establish local referral pathways, equipment availability and follow-up systems before starting the clinic.”

Find all of the webinars from Locum Day 2026 available to watch on-demand from the OT Education library.