On Saturday, Oct. 21, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine held its 25th Annual Technician Course. About 100 ophthalmic technicians, from across the region, convened in the Owens Auditorium at the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus to earn continuing education credits and to learn from some of the foremost ophthalmology experts.

Marianne Medura, longtime Wilmer staff member and ophthalmic clinical supervisor of the oculoplastics and neuro-ophthalmology divisions, was the emcee of the event. Medura says she was honored to host the monumental year of the event. “The fact that this was the 25th year says a lot about how successful these conferences are,” says Medura. “We are so very fortunate at Wilmer to have faculty and staff who are willing to take their time to educate us. Ophthalmology is ever-changing, and to be able to learn from the best is a real privilege.”

Speakers included Corinne Casey, instructor of ophthalmology and Odenton clinic director (Understanding and Optimizing Visual Field Testing); Shazia Dharssi, assistant of ophthalmology (Guidance on What to Do with a Patient Who is a Victim of Violence); David Guyton, the Zanvyl Krieger Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology (Optical Perceptions That Befuddle Our Patients – And Us!); and a familiar face to Wilmer technicians, Colin Kane, assistant professor of ophthalmology and a former Wilmer technician (Nystagmus, How to Handle the Move).

Kane, whose presentation included ways in which to obtain ophthalmic imaging from patients with nystagmus, a vexing condition in which the eyes move uncontrollably, says as a physician, he enjoys being able to teach and collaborate with a newer generation of ophthalmic technicians.

“It’s nice having both perspectives, of being a practitioner and the technician. Sometimes challenges may arise for technicians that practitioners may not realize,” he says. “Now that I’m on the other side, I am realizing that what I learned as a technician helps me identify areas where technicians may have a lack of understanding, through no fault of their own. This is why being able to interact with them at an event like this, and in clinic, is important.”

The technician course is for ophthalmic technicians at all skill levels and certifications. Certified ophthalmic technicians who attended the event this year were able to receive 6.25 Group A credits from the International Joint Commission of Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (IJCAHPO). In addition to earning continuing education credits, each year two Wilmer technicians are afforded an opportunity to attend the IJCAHPO Annual Continuing Education Program, which coincides with the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Annual Meeting, held this year in San Francisco.

Martine Johnson, ophthalmic technician at Wilmer’s Glaucoma Center of Excellence, is a recipient of this year’s Tech Travel Award. Johnson says she’s excited for the chance to network with other technicians from across the country, and most importantly, to learn.

“I can’t wait to meet other techs and see if their experiences are the same or different than my own. I have been waiting for an opportunity like this,” she continues. “This is an opportunity to learn how to do certain clinical skills that I have come across in readings or things I have witnessed during my time as a technician.”

The opportunity to attend the meeting can be life-changing for Wilmer’s ophthalmic technicians says Mike Hartnett, who coordinated the event for many years before her retirement earlier this year. “The scope of these events vividly demonstrates the enormous possibilities for ophthalmic technicians, and the satisfying realization that one is part of something bigger than oneself,” says Hartnett. “That awareness of potential personal growth and the technical comprehension obtained can move the ophthalmic tech’s perception of their work from just a job in a doctor’s office to a satisfying, long-lasting career.”

Planning an event of this nature takes months and requires a lot of coordination, says event organizers Nidia Adames, ophthalmic technician training manager, and Stephen Chott, ophthalmic technician training and compliance coordinator. This includes marketing and promotion, collaborating with the speakers to identify topics and objectives, applying to IJCAHPO for the awarding of continuing education credits and much more. But the payoff is rewarding.

“I thought that the course went very well,” says Chott of the event. “I found our speakers very engaging, and they did a great job of enhancing my understanding of a lot of the things we see daily. Mike set the bar very high for us, so I’m thankful we were able to at the very least come close to reaching that standard.”

Here’s to 25 more years of education, training and networking opportunities for the ophthalmic technicians at Wilmer Eye Institute and from across the country. The date for the 26th Annual Technician Course is Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.