Practical Tips for Performing an Ophthalmic Examination in Small Animals
Day 1: Foundations of the Ophthalmic examination
From history taking to ocular surface and anterior segment examination
Saturday 24th October 2026
09:00 – 18:00
Learning Objectives:
- Perform a structured ophthalmic examination of the dog and cat
- Take a focused ophthalmic history and perform a hands-off ocular exam
- Confidently perform a neuro-ophthalmic examination and localise lesions
- Perform and interpret STT and IOP measurements
- Use the direct ophthalmoscope for distant and close examination of the ocular surface and anterior segment
- Perform slit lamp biomicroscopy of the ocular surface, anterior segment and lens
Day 2 – Posterior Segment Assessment and Further Diagnostics
From fundoscopy to photography and additional diagnostic tests
Sunday 25th October 2026
09:00 – 18:00
Learning Objectives:
- Perform a complete posterior segment examination
- Compare and select appropriate fundoscopy techniques
- Perform
- Distant direct ophthalmoscopy
- Indirect ophthalmoscopy
- Close direct ophthalmoscopy
- Recognise common fundus findings in dogs and cats
- Perform ocular surface sampling for cytology and bacteriology
- Perform nasolacrimal cannulation and flushing
- Use pharmacological diagnostic agents appropriately
- Capture diagnostic ocular photographs of the anterior segment and fundus
Josie Parker
BVMS PgCertSAOphthal MSc DipECVO AIS ARPS MRCVS
Josie graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2013 before beginning her veterinary career in mixed practice in North Yorkshire. Initially aspiring to be an equine specialist, she completed a rotating internship at the Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital, University of Liverpool in 2014, where she discovered the wonders of ophthalmology!
After returning to small animal first opinion practice for a few years, she undertook an ophthalmology internship at the University of Bristol and attained a BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Ophthalmology in 2020. She pursued a European College of Veterinary Ophthalmology (ECVO) residency, alongside a Master of Science degree, which she completed in 2022. She then moved to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, as an ophthalmology clinician and achieved her ECVO Diploma, RCVS and EBVS specialist status in 2024.
Currently, her role is divided between clinical work at the R(D)SVS teaching hospitals and research at the Roslin Institute. She will begin a Wellcome Trust funded PhD in August 2025 as part of the Edinburgh Clinical Academic Track (ECAT) programme. Josie’s clinical interests include surgical cases, particularly the correction of eyelid conformational abnormalities and corneal surgery, while her research explores the development of an embryonic chick model for studying human congenital cataracts.
DAY 1
| Time | Title |
| 08:30 | Arrival, registration and coffee |
| 09:00 | Welcome and course overview |
| 09:10 |
Lecture 1: The Structured Ophthalmic Examination
|
| 10:30 | Coffee break |
| 11:00 |
Lecture 2: Ocular Surface and Anterior Segment Examination
|
| 12:00 |
Practical Session 1 Small group rotating stations Instructor introduction – station specific learning objectives provided
|
| 13:30 | Lunch |
| 14:30 |
Practical Session 2 Continuation of rotating stations
|
| 16:30 | Coffee break |
| 17:30 | Case based discussion and summary |
| 18:00 | End |
DAY 2
| Time | Title |
| 08:30 | Arrival, registration and coffee |
| 09:00 | Welcome and course overview |
| 09:10 |
Lecture 3: Fundus Examination
|
| 10:30 | Coffee break |
| 11:00 |
Lecture 4: Further Diagnostics and Ocular Photography
|
| 12:00 |
Practical Session 1 Small group rotating stations Instructor introduction – station specific learning objectives provided
|
| 13:30 | Lunch |
| 14:30 |
Practical Session 2 Continuation of rotating stations
|
| 16:30 | Coffee break |
| 17:00 | Ophthalmology Pharmacy |
| 17:30 | Case review and summary |
| 18:00 | End |