The ACO Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics is designed to ensure the development of appropriate knowledge, skills and competencies to ensure graduates meet contemporary standards of therapeutic practice and are equipped with the skills to adapt to changes in the scope of therapeutic practice. The course will cover general principles and the therapeutic management of a range of ocular diseases.
Accredited by the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ) and approved by the Optometry Board of Australia (OBA), successful completion of this course will enable scheduled medicines endorsement for registered optometrists.
The course offers a flexible learning environment, ideal for rural or remote optometrists and those balancing work and other commitments.
– Applications opening soon –
Be the first to know when applications open by registering your interest via the ‘2024 Course Brochure’ button below.
Commencement
8 April 2024- Duration
12 – 15 months 
CPD Points
Australia: 103T (58i) (1st Year: 53T/8i, 2nd Year: 50T/50i)
CPD Points
New Zealand: Allocation pending
Commencement
Duration
CPD Points
CPD PointsFeatures
- Accreditation by the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand
- Live, interactive webinars with expert presenters
- Online forums and networking opportunities
- Local clinical placements within Australia or New Zealand
- NEW lectures on culturally safe practice and the social determinants of health
Applications
More information coming soon.
Entry requirements
Candidates must be an optometry graduate and registered as an optometrist in Australia or New Zealand. Course enquiries from overseas applicants or optometrists with limited registration are welcome and should be directed to acocot@aco.org.au.
Further information
2024 Fees | Australia (Inc GST) Early bird (Before 15 Dec 2023) | Australia (Inc GST) | New Zealand (ex GST) Early bird (Before 15 Dec 2023) | New Zealand (ex GST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACO Member | $10,854 | $11,238 | $9,862 | $10,216 |
| Non Member | $11,470 | $11,796 | $10,417 | $10,723 |
Meet Rachel, 2021 Graduate
As her young children approached school age, Rachel Smeal was drawn to pursue therapeutic endorsement with the Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics for two reasons.
“I was hoping for a new challenge, and to add another layer of interest and complexity to the job I love. A second goal was to connect with likeminded practitioners so we could learn together as we begin prescribing.
I really enjoyed all of Part A: General Principles of Disease, especially immunology. It’s imperative that we consider the eye as a part of the body, not an organ in isolation, and revising core biological science concepts after 20 years of clinical experience was surprisingly enlightening.
The course improved my understanding of ocular conditions from a core concepts perspective. Reviewing the underlying mechanisms of pathophysiology, while already being familiar with the ocular manifestations of disease, was very interesting! And of course, the requirement to understand the fine details of management also deepened my understanding.
I found the process to arrange clinical placements quite straight forward. I was fortunate enough to visit a corneal specialty unit at a tertiary hospital, and that experience was incredible – I was able to examine diseases that would rarely walk into a community clinic! I would recommend any future candidates to try and seek this sort of placement.
The course offers amazing flexibility to learn at your own pace,
and the placements are an incredible way to improve relationships with your local Ophthalmologists.
My confidence in prescribing increases with every case I see. Therapeutic endorsement offers a rich opportunity for deepening your understanding and interest in ocular disease. It’s been incredibly rewarding using these new skills in my practice.”
