MANCHESTER, England—The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) announced this week that U.S.-based eyecare practitioners can earn up to 10 COPE points by attending the first-ever virtual BCLA Clinical Conference and Exhibition. The event, which this year is being live streamed around the world over a 30-hour period across different time zones, will take place June 13-14. COPE accreditation has now been secured, meaning attendees can earn points by attending the sessions that examine the findings of BCLA Contact Lens Evidence-based Academic Reports (CLEAR)—equivalent to 10-hours of accredited education, according to the announcement.

This “groundbreaking global consensus report delivers guidance to eyecare professionals on all aspects of prescribing and fitting contact lenses” as part of a concerted drive to provide the best possible patient care, the announcement noted.
 
Made possible by educational grants from Alcon and CooperVision, it will set the standard to which researchers and eyecare professionals will refer for the latest information in the field and will also highlight potential opportunities for future research. 
 
“This year’s conference will be like no other, with a truly global reach,” BCLA chief executive Luke Stevens-Burt said. “Going virtual gives us the chance to bring BCLA CLEAR to every single nation, benefitting both practitioners and patients around the world.”
 
He added, “I am delighted that U.S.-based attendees will be able to earn 10 COPE points by attending our BCLA CLEAR sessions. BCLA CLEAR is one of the most exciting pieces of research undertaken within the field of contact lenses and anterior eye for several years and we want to ensure as many eyecare professionals as possible have access to this body of work.”
 
BCLA CLEAR features 10 papers, each compiled by a panel chaired by internationally renowned experts. The topics areas and panel chairs are:  

  • Anatomy and Physiology of the Anterior Eye—Dr. Laura Downie
  • Biochemistry of lens materials, coating, comfort drops and solutions—professor Mark Willcox
  • Effect of lens materials/design on the anatomy and physiology of the eye—professor Philip Morgan
  • Speciality lenses/Ortho-k—professor Stephen Vincent and professor Pauline Cho
  • Speciality lenses/Sclerals—Dr. Melissa Barnett
  • Contact lens complications—professor Fiona Stapleton
  • Medical use of contact lenses—associate professor Debbie Jacobs
  • Contact lens optics—Dr. Kathryn Richdale
  • Future applications of contact lenses—professor Lyndon Jones
  • Evidence based contact lens practice—professor James Wolffsohn 
In 2021, Alcon is the partner sponsor for the event while CooperVision and Johnson & Johnson Vision are platinum sponsors, according to BCLA’s announcement. To register and secure a place at the online Clinical Conference and Exhibition visit www.bcla.org.uk.