Specialisations

Clinical refraction techniques course

Bologna
The IBZ Advanced Course in Refraction Techniques, focused on the ametropic subject is innovative and unique in Italy as 50% of the hours are devoted to practical and clinical activities. The Course is held at the main campus in Bologna.
The Course is open to OpticiansOptometrists and Eye Care professionals who wish to:
  • Acquire advanced knowledge and skills in refraction;
  • Align the prescribed devices to the needs and expectations of ametropic subjects, depending on their vision requirements;
  • Understand and effectively use last generation ophthalmic instrumentation.
Attendance is suitable also for working students and it includes a consecutive Sunday and Monday every month.

Our Didactics is flexible and customized, i.e. classes can be attended in person or online and all the learning materials are available 24/7 on the IBZ platform.

The official language of the Advanced Course in Refractive Techniques is Italian.
At the end of the course each participant will receive a Certificate of Attendance indicating the hours of attendance and the content of the program.
 

Why enrolling in the advanced course on refraction techniques?

Most ametropes and people with vision defects present problems of vision quality and functionality that cannot be solved simply by referring to standard cases and protocols. This means that in most cases the professional eye care process ends with the provision of a vision correction device whose quality is close to the needs and expectations of the ametropic wearer, but not fully satisfactory.

The 'Advanced Course on Refraction Techniques', provides training on the use of 'focus-based' methodologies to develop advanced technical and clinical patterns, starting from a correct patient history and leading to the provision of a visual correction solution in line with the needs and expectations of the ametropic patient.
 

What are the refraction techniques?

Refraction techniques belong to the discipline of optometry and are used to perform refraction examinations (commonly referred to as eyesight examinations or measurements) with the aim of identifying optical defects and degree of severity,  and prescribing the most appropriate personalised correction and/or compensation.

Optometry is a discipline that brings together a body of knowledge from physical, ophthalmic and physiological optics, neurosciences, specific techniques and rehabilitation protocols and correlates the individual, the eye (the visual organ), the eyesight (the sense) and the vision (the function) with the aim of improving visual function and efficiency.
 

Target Audience

The Course is designed for Opticians, Optometrists and Eye Care professionals who wish to acquire advanced refraction knowledge and skills for their professional practice, in order to align the prescribed devices with the needs and expectations of each ametropic individual according to their specific vision requirements.

Objectives and clinical contents of the Course in Refraction Techniques

The course aims to enable participants to acquire familiarity and confidence with refraction examination customised to the specific features and needs of each type of ametropia - child, young adult, mature and elderly - for individual ophthalmic prescription, combining clinical experience with technical-scientific evidence and current and validated best practice.

Clinical focus:

•             Case history and clinical assessment
•             Refraction examination in preschool age
•             Refraction examination in school age
•             Confirming or modifying correction in adults
•             Refraction examination of presbyopia
•             Refraction for multifocal lens prescription
•             Correction for formal requirements
•             Refraction examination in high ametropia
•             Refraction examination in anisometropia
•             Refraction examination in subjects with asthenopia, near vision symptoms


Technical focus and insights:

•             ​Introduction to keratoconus and its identification
•             Update in ophthalmic optics and multifocal lenses
•             Problem-solving and ophthalmic correction management
•             Management of the medicalized patient
•             Last-generation diagnostic equipment
•             Spectacle lenses vs. myopic progression
•             ​Biometric-aberrometric lenses

Edition, duration, attendance and locations of the Course

Attendance of the Advanced Course in Refractive Techniques with a focus on the ametropic subject has been designed to allow for the participation of student-workers.
The Course is held on a consecutive Sunday and Monday per month. It is structured in 10 modules, divided into 10 days, for a total of 80 hours of theoretical lectures, simulations, demonstrations and practical and clinical exercises carried out in small groups, mentored by teachers and dedicated assistants.

Class schedule
From 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 6:oo p.m.

The course will take place in:

Bologna –  Via Gherardo Ghirardini, 17 - 40141 Bologna, Italy - segreteria@istitutozaccagnini.it

The school is easy to reach, served by urban transport, local and national trains and well connected to Bologna G. Marconi airport.
 

Certificate of Attendance

At the end of the course every participant will receive a  Certificate of Attendance, indicating the hours and the content of the program.

Faculty

The course is held by well-established and experienced teachers and trainers,  actively operating in the field of optometry
  • Prof. Laura Donini, OD in Optics and Optometry and OD of Orthoptics and Ophthalmological Assistance.
Professor of Ocular Semeiotics and Binocular Vision at the Zaccagnini Institute.
  • Prof. Massimo Fiori, Qualified Optician and Optometrist, OD in Orthoptics and Ophthalmological Assistance.
Professor of Binocular Vision and Binocular Vision Anomalies at the Zaccagnini Institute.
  • Prof. Pietro Gheller, Optician, Optometrist and MD in Psychological Techniques.
Professor of Optometry and Contact Lens Practice at the Zaccagnini Institute and Adjunct Professor at the University of Padua. Pietro is also a scientific advisor to various optical firms and for the contact lens industry.
  • Prof. Laura Livi, Qualified Optician and Optometrist.
    Professor of Binocular Vision Anomalies at the Zaccagnini Institute.
  • Prof. Francesco Sala, Qualified Optician and Optometrist
    Professor of Optometry, Contact Lens Practice, Visual and Ophthalmic Optics and Methods of Optometric Investigation at the Zaccagnini Institute.
  • Prof. Francesco Vargellini, Qualified Optician and Optometrist
Professor of Optometry, Contact Lens Practice, Refraction  and Binocular Vision Anomalies at the Zaccagnini Institute.

Limited enrolment course, Teaching and Practice

The Advanced Course in Refraction Techniques with a focus on the ametropic subject, is reserved for a limited number of 25 participants, allowing students to carry out the practical part mentored by teachers and assistants.

Learning is integrated and customized. Lessons will be held in person and will also be available online, to allow everyone in any location and condition to participate and attend the learning activities.

The handouts, materials and documentation will be made available 24/7 on the IBZ platform, to ensure a user-friendly and immediate access.
In order to enhance the learning experience, teachers will use the following in the classroom:
  1. Graphic simulators: all the tests that form part of the refraction examination will be conducted also with the support of simulators to highlight the specificities of each patient, including patient’s feedback.
  2. Online simulators: some the tests will be simulated using special apps available online, for participants to use them autonomously in their clinical practice.
  3. Clinical cases e Case reports: the refraction sequences will be performed on real subjects or on "virtual" cases.
Practical training and practice in the clinic will include:
  1. Practical demonstrations: Teachers will conduct practical demonstrations as an introduction to clinical practice.
  2. Practical and clinical training: Every course day will include practical exercises on real subjects external to the class.
The handouts, materials and documentation for in study will be made available 24/7 on the IBZ platform, to ensure user-friendly and immediate access.

Program and Schedule of the Advanced Course in Refraction Techniques

Topics will be presented theoretically and developed and supplemented with simulations, training moments and practical-clinical exercises. The participant will learn the clinical use of basic and advanced instrumental technologies, with a focus on optical imaging.

Ample space will be given to learning the techniques of contact lens fitting and control and the consequent assessment skills.
 
Date MODULI DIDATTICI Docenti
Domenica 29
Ottobre 2023
I MODULO - INQUADRAMENTO CLINICO DEL SOGGETTO E ANAMNESI
- Le potenzialità della refrazione: non solo dieci decimi
- L’inquadramento, i motivi e gli obiettivi del controllo visivo
- Aspetti relazionali e psicologici nella gestione del paziente
- Aspetti legali nell’esercizio della professione dell’ottico e dell’optometrista
ESERCITAZIONI CLINICO-PRATICHE
Prof. Pietro Gheller,
Optometrista e Psicologo
Lunedì 30
Ottobre 2023
II MODULO - ESAME REFRATTIVO NELL’ADULTO
- L’esame oggettivo e soggettivo nell’adulto
- Necessità formali: l’ottenimento o il rinnovo della patente di guida, la valutazione e l’attestazione delle competenze visive per il lavoro, concorsi pubblici ed altri
ESERCITAZIONI CLINICO-PRATICHE
Prof. Francesco Vargellini,
Optometrista 
Domenica 26
Novembre 2023
III MODULO - ESAME REFRATTIVO IN ETÀ SCOLARE E PRESCOLARE
- L’esame refrattivo in età prescolare
- L’esame refrattivo in età scolare
- L’esame refrattivo in soggetti con astenopia, sintomi in visione prossima legati all’uso del computer, alla frequenza scolastica e lo studio
ESERCITAZIONI CLINICO-PRATICHE
Prof.ssa Laura Donini,
Optometrista, Ortottista
Assistente in Oftalmologia
Lunedì 27
Novembre 2023
IV MODULO - ESAME REFRATTIVO NEL SOGGETTO PRESBITE
- L’esame visivo nel soggetto presbite
- Specificità della refrazione per la prescrizione di lenti multifocali
- Il referral optometrico: importanza e modelli di riferimento per la cogestione optometrica del presbite
ESERCITAZIONI CLINICO-PRATICHE
Prof.ssa Laura Livi,
Optometrista
Domenica 28
Gennaio 2024
V MODULO - AGGIORNAMENTI IN OTTICA OFTALMICA E TECNOLOGIE DIAGNOSTICHE
- La strumentazione diagnostica di ultima generazione
- Oftalmica: le nuove opportunità e possibilità di correzione con lenti oftalmiche e LaC
- Le lenti multificali di ultima generazione
- L’aberrometria oculare
- Applicazione dell’aberrometria e della biometria oculare per il miglioramento dei dispositivi visivi correttivi e compensativi
- Scelta e approntamento della lente aberrometrica
ESERCITAZIONI CLINICO-PRATICHE
Prof. Francesco Vargellini,
Optometrista
Lunedì 29
Gennaio 2024
VI MODULO - L’INDAGINE DIFFERENZIALE DELLE DIFFICOLTA’ DI ADATTAMENTO ALL’USO DI CORREZIONI OFTALMICHE MONO E MULTIFOCALI.  Prof. Francesco Vargellini,
Optometrista
Domenica 25
Febbraio 2024
VII MODULO - ALTE AMETROPIE E ANISOMETROPIE
- L’esame refrattivo in caso di alte ametropie
- L’esame refrattivo in caso di anisometropie
ESERCITAZIONI CLINICO-PRATICHE 
Prof. Francesco Sala,
Optometrista
Lunedì 26
Febbraio 2024
VIII MODULO - ECTASIE E CHERATOCONO
- La gestione Ottica, Optometrica e Interdisciplinare del cheratocono: segni, esami, aspetti caratterizzanti la patologia e la gestione interdisciplinare
- Le opzioni di compensazione e gestione del cheratocono: l’occhiale, le lenti a contatto e la chirurgia
ESERCITAZIONI CLINICO-PRATICHE con soggetti con cheratocono 
Prof. Pietro Gheller,
Optometrista e Psicologo
Domenica 24
Marzo 2024
IX MODULO - LA MIOPIA E LA GESTIONE DELLA PROGRESSIONE MIOPICA
- Le opzioni per la gestione della progressione miopica nei vari ambiti del Vision Care: l’occhiale, le lenti a contatto ed i farmaci
ESERCITAZIONI CLINICO-PRATICHE 
Prof. Francesco Sala,
Optometrista
Lunedì 25
Marzo 2024
X MODULO - COGESTIONE REFRATTIVA DELL’OCCHIO PATOLOGICO
- Patologie oculari che modificano la refrazione
- Esame refrattivo nel caso di soggetti ipovedenti
- Elementi tecnici e di collaborazione con le altre professioni sanitarie attive nell’Eye Care
SIMULAZIONI E CASE REPORT 
Prof. Massimo Fiori,
Optometrista, Ortottista
Assistente in Oftalmologia

Admission and enrolment fee for the Advanced Course in Refraction Techniques with a focus on the ametropic subject

The enrolment fee includes course participation, all learning material and the Certificate of Attendance with indication of the hours and content of the course.
  • € 1.300,00 + VAT (€ 1.586,00) € 250,00 of which to be paid as a deposit upon enrolment, € 366,00 before the beginning of the course and 2 instalments of €485,00 each by the 1st of January 2024 and the 1st of March 2024.
  • Fee reserved for ADOO, AILAC, ALOeO, Federottica, SOptI members: € 1.150,00 + VAT (€1.403,00) € 250,00 of which to be paid as a deposit upon enrolment, € 366,00 before the beginning the course, and 2 instalments of €393,50 each by the 1st of January 2024 and the 1st of March 2024.
  • Fee reserved for former students of the Zaccagnini Institute: € 950,00 + VAT (€1.159,00) € 250,00 of which to be paid as a deposit upon enrolment, € 366,00 before the start of the course and 2 instalments of  €271,00 each by the 1st of January 2024 and the 1st of March 2024.