Master’s Degree in Glaucoma
Organisation and development
Curriculum divided into 11 teaching months from June 2019 to May 2020.
MODULE I: Clinical management of primary open-angle glaucoma (15 ECTS)
- Concept of primary open-angle glaucoma.
- Concept of ocular hypertension.
- Normal-tension glaucoma.
- Epidemiological studies and studies into more significant interventions.
- Exploration of the anterior segment.
- Exploration of the back of the eye: glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
- Physiological excavation: papillary size
- Thinning of the neuroretinal rim.
- Signs of pathological excavation.
- Parapapillary atrophy.
- Analysis of the visual field: concept of progression
- Progression by events
- Progression by trends
- Evaluation of image diagnosis tests within a clinical context
- Papillary OCT (optical coherence tomography)
- CGx
- HRT
- Stereophotography
- Flat photograph
- Medical treatment for glaucoma
- Laser therapy
- Participation in glaucoma sessions in the centre that are organised weekly: literature reviews, presentation of clinical cases and monographs
- Writing up clinical action protocols based on the evidence available
MODULE II: Clinical management of primary open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma (15 ECTS)
The activity for this specific module is divided into equal parts between on-site learning, teacher-led learning and autonomous learning. It is practical in nature and will mainly occur in special glaucoma consultations. The source of knowledge here is caring for patients with glaucoma, as well as knowledge gained from professors and lecturers and in clinical sessions.
- Concept of high risk glaucoma
- Secondary open-angle glaucoma
- Primary closed-angle glaucoma
- Secondary closed-angle glaucoma
- Exploration of the anterior segment
- Gonioscopy
- Evaluation of the back of the eye
- Analysis of the visual field
- Medical imaging
- Frontal high resolution scan
- Photograph of the frontal segment
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the frontal segment
- Laser therapy
- Peripheral iridotomy
- Peripheral iridoplasty
- Evaluation of medical imaging in the clinical context
- Medical treatment for glaucoma
- Laser therapy
- Participation in glaucoma sessions in the centre that are organised weekly: literature reviews, presentation of clinical cases and monographs
- Writing up the clinical action protocols based on the evidence available
MODULE III: Clinical management (0,5 ECTS)
- Concept of clinical efficiency
- Quality management
- Functioning of a clinical unit in a hospital department
- Chronic patients and their illnesses
MODULE IV: Research applied to opthalmology (1,5 ECTS)
On-site lectures
- Literature search: Databases
- Critical reading and revision of methods in scientific publications
- Evidence-based medicine
- Clinical research
- Practical work: case resolution
Guided work
- Resolution of clinical problems
- Drafting action protocolsMODULE V: Clinical research project (13 ECTS)
MÒDUL 5. Projecte de recerca clínica (13 ECTS)
- Seminars on research methodology
- Scientific methods
- Literature search
- Evidence-based medicine
- Designing a study to respond to a clinical question set out scientifically
- Oral presentation of the project
- Presentation of the results (partial or final) during at least one scientific conference
- Publication of the final results
MODULE VI: Medical treatment for glaucoma (15 ECTS)
- Surgical indications: evaluation of the risk of failure
- Preparation of the patient for surgery and surgical plan
- Selection of the type of anaesthesia
- Fixation sutures
- Tackling conjunctival incisions
- Treatment of the subconjunctival and conjunctival space
- Using approved medicines
- Flaps and scleral tunnels
- Suturing the scleral tunnel
- Suturing the conjunctival edges
- Trabeculectomy
- Non-perforating sclerotomy
- Implantation of draining devices
- Subconjunctival drainage
- Non-subconjunctival drainage
- Tubes in the choroidal space
- Tubes in the subconjunctival space
- Cataract surgery in patients with glaucoma
- Primary angular closure
- Primary closed-angle glaucoma
- Exfoliative glaucoma
- Transcleral cyclophotodestruction
- Post-operatory treatment
- Exploration of a filtering bleb
- Topical and infiltrated anti-inflammatory treatment
- Ocular hypotony
- Management of surgical failure
- Management of post-operative infection
- Evidence related to the application of surgical techniques
Methodology
- Exposure to medical and surgical care from glaucoma experts during external consultations and surgical sessions.
- Active involvement in treating patients.
- Taught theory classes
- Reading of selected and updated bibliography
- Attending sessions that cover the following aspects
- Epidemiology of glaucoma
- Histiology of the angle region.
- Gonioscopy
- Pathogenia of glaucomatous damage in the optic nerve.
- Evaluation of structural damage.
- Evaluation of functional damage.
- Ocular hypertension and normal-tension glaucoma.
- Low-tension and vascular glaucoma.
- Monitoring patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.
- Congenital glaucoma.
- Medical treatment.
- Side effects of medical treatment.
- Lasers and glaucoma.
- Trabeculectomy.
- Combined surgery.
- Other surgical treatment options: drainage devices.
- Failed surgery: cytotoxic drugs.
- Complications of surgical treatment.
- Endophthalmitis.
- Future of treatments: neuroprotection, neuro-regeneration.
- Differential diagnosis of acute ocular hypertension.
- Neovascular glaucoma.
- Aphakic glaucoma.
- Pigmentary and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma.
- Traumatic glaucoma.
- Glaucoma and uveitis.
- Involvement in development, design and analysis, under supervision.
- Preparation of papers for scientific meetings, under supervision.
- Supervised drafting of scientific articles.
Others
- The students will be evaluated on an ongoing basis and based on a theoretical-practical exam. Attendance and research work are obligatory.
- At the end of each cross-disciplinary module, students will be asked to complete an exercise in which they will be required to solve a problem. They will be given set guidelines and a deadline.
- The students will be required to complete an on-site evaluation at the end of each module, in which they will be presented with a series of clinical scenarios that require a response.
- Research project assessment: the criteria includes the quality of the study, project development, its potential impact and how it is presented before the project assessment committee.
- Attendance will be monitored, and students must attend at least 80% of all classes.
Director
Dr Alfonso Antón López
Ophthalmologists
Holder of a PhD in Medicine.
Director of the Research Committee.
Director of the Department of Glaucoma at the Catalan Retina Institute.
Professor at UIC Barcelona
Dr Lorena Castillo Campillo
Ophthalmologist
Department of Neuroophthalmology
Catalan Retina Institute
Dr Miriam Eleonora Ayala
Ophthalmologist
Department of Glaucoma
Catalan Retina Institute
Dr José Manuel Navero
Ophthalmologist
Department of Glaucoma
Catalan Retina Institute
Dr Alicia Gómez Muñoz
Ophthalmologist
Department of Glaucoma
Catalan Retina Institute
Dr Marcos Muñoz
Ophthalmologist
Department of Glaucoma
Catalan Retina Institute
Dr Laura Beltrán Agullo
Ophthalmologist
Department of Glaucoma
Catalan Retina Institute
