The Impact of Covid-19 on Ophthalmic care: Are we ready for the aftermath?

  • Reading time:10 mins read
  • Post author:Wei Han Ong
  • Post category:Article

While serious eye conditions remained prioritised, many patients were too fearful to attend essential clinic appointments. Statistics showed that there was a 79% reduction in ophthalmic appointments in the UK (the highest of any medical specialty) during the pandemic. It is estimated that more than three thousand people have lost vision due to delays in the identification and treatment of eye disease during the pandemic (2). The pandemic crisis will end, sooner or later but the real challenge remains: the episodes of avoidable sight loss that may have occurred due to backlog of services.

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Foundation Job in Ophthalmology

  • Reading time:9 mins read
  • Post author:Wei Han Ong
  • Post category:Article

If you’re a final year medical student thinking about how to rank your foundation jobs, first of all congratulations for making this far! We all know ranking foundation jobs can be tough and stressful. The choices you make will potentially have a great impact on what area you specialise in. Thinking about a career in ophthalmology? This article serves to give you some insight into a foundation job in ophthalmology and hopefully guide you along your decision.

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An Easy Approach for Direct Ophthalmoscopy In 8 Steps!

  • Reading time:8 mins read
  • Post author:Youstina Metry
  • Post category:Article

Direct ophthalmoscopy (fundoscopy) is a technique to examine the back of the eye. It is referred to as direct because the retinal image formed is erect/upright (1,2). This type of examination magnifies the retinal image inspected by approximately 15 times. Direct ophthalmoscopy is an extremely useful tool for detecting retinal, vascular, optic disc and choroidal pathologies. Hence, it has been an important form of examination that is not only taught to trainees but also to undergraduate medical students.

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Acute Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma: An Overview

  • Reading time:6 mins read
  • Post author:Walid Raslan
  • Post category:Article

Angle-closure glaucoma (ACG) is a condition that leads to optic nerve neurodegeneration caused by increased intraocular pressure (IOP). It’s an ophthalmic emergency that may cause irreversible visual impairment if left untreated. ACG causes can be classified into Primary and Secondary causes. This article will focus on Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma (PACG). In this article, we will briefly outline the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of acute PACG.

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Visual Snow: An Unseen Problem

  • Reading time:4 mins read
  • Post author:Sarah Walker-Date
  • Post category:Article

Visual snow is a newly recognised condition that presents with debilitating visual symptoms. Historically, due to the lack of clinical criteria, many patients have been misdiagnosed or had a significant delay in diagnosis. This article is aimed at improving understanding and recognition of visual snow amongst clinicians.

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My Top Tips for Presenting in a Conference

  • Reading time:5 mins read
  • Post author:Rubia Akhtar
  • Post category:Article

Presenting research in a medical conference can seemingly be a daunting task for many medical students and junior doctors. Medical conferences are, after all, attended by experts and specialists from the various fields which can be unnerving for the naïve presenter. However, for most doctors, who have an interest in research, delivering presentations in conferences is often inevitable. Here I present my top tips to consider when preparing an oral presentation at a medical conference. 

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Paediatric Cross-Linking in Keratoconus: A Clinical Audit

  • Reading time:11 mins read
  • Post author:Azeem Siddique, Gareth Spence, Michael O’Gallagher, Dimple Patel, Jonathan Jackson
  • Post category:Article

Keratoconus is an ectasia in which progressive thinning and cone-shaped distortion of the cornea result in worsening vision through increasing myopia and astigmatism. Age at diagnosis is usually between 15 and 30 years however it has been suggested that keratoconus is often more advanced if first diagnosed in childhood and progresses more quickly. The estimated prevalence of keratoconus is 1.38 per 1000 population (2). Risk factors include family history of keratoconus,  eye rubbing and atopic conditions. Patients may experience a reduction in visual acuity and distortion of the visual field. Keratoconus is diagnosed through keratometry, the measurement of the curvature, thickness and steepness of the cornea with computerised corneal topography.

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Clinician Confidence in Managing Ophthalmological Presentations: A Model for Collaborative Post-Graduate Training in Ophthalmology

  • Reading time:7 mins read
  • Post author:Jennifer Utting
  • Post category:Article

Clinicians working in emergency medicine (EM), general practice (GP) and general medicine are frequently expected to review, assess and manage those presenting with ophthalmic complaints. They are in many instances the gatekeepers to accessing secondary ophthalmological care services. Often these clinicians have received only undergraduate teaching on ophthalmology and infrequently utilise their skills with ophthalmological equipment such as fundoscopes and rarely a slit lamp. Due to this, clinician confidence in managing ophthalmological issues is often poor.

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