Articles - Page 15 of 21 - Journal of the Foundations of Ophthalmology

Never too late: Starting your OST portfolio as a Foundation Doctor

Post published:August 13, 2022
Reading time:10 mins read
Post author:Hui Mei Wong, Kristie Hing Chi Leung
Post category:Article

Advice on preparing the Ophthalmology Speciality Training (OST) portfolio often assumes that the applicant is still in medical school or at a relatively early stage of their career, which can be disheartening for applicants who decide to pursue Ophthalmology later on in their careers (such as during Foundation Years 2 or 3), as this cohort of applicants would have to develop their portfolio within a much shorter timeframe. This article aims to highlight high-yield elements within the OST to maximize points, focusing on applicants who decided to pursue Ophthalmology in their Foundation Years.

Age-Related Cataract Surgery: Through the Lens of Various Stakeholders

Post published:August 13, 2022
Reading time:21 mins read
Post author:Wei Zhuen Chew, Aimee Lloyd
Post category:Article

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. Estimates attributing blindness due to cataracts range from 50% cause of all-blindness in middle-low income countries to 90% cause of all-blindness in developed countries. Beyond the age of 60 years old, the average person is more likely to suffer from cataracts than not. This combination of a high incidence rate among the population and highly effective treatment available makes cataract surgery the most common surgical procedure performed in the NHS. This article explores and establishes the benefits of cataract surgery from multiple perspectives.

A Case of Unilateral Retinitis in a Young Myopic Female

Post published:July 27, 2022
Reading time:5 mins read
Post author:Hamzah Hussain, Ahmed Javed
Post category:Article

This case report follows the case of a 27 year old female who presented to her optometrist with a 10-day history of floaters in her left eye. The optometrist noted papilloedema and she was advised to attend the Emergency Department for further assessment and imaging. A CT brain showed no acute intracranial findings, however upon examination a left swollen disc was noted and the right pupil was unreactive to light. She was referred to eye casualty for specialist input. Her visual acuity was 0.16 in her right eye and 0.42 in her left eye. Ishihara plates could be read fully. Pupillary reflexes were normal in the left eye however the patient reported that the right eye has been unreactive since birth.

Eye-Si Simulator: A user experience

Post published:May 25, 2022
Reading time:4 mins read
Post author:Hamzah Hussain
Post category:Article

The Eye-Si simulator is a surgical simulator that can be used by trainees to gain and develop surgical techniques which are utilised in ophthalmology. More information can be found in an EyeSi overview by Rubia Akhtar. This article aims to provide a personal user review of the simulator. To begin with, I was unable to use the Eye-Si simulator until an assigned tutor provided me with a login – there was no option to register myself. Once I finally had the login, I was told I must use the machine supervised by someone on my first go – as there was no instructions or manual on how to use the equipment and the tools were very delicate.

Is Moraxella Non-liquefaciens induced microbial keratitis related to mask wearing?

Post published:May 13, 2022
Reading time:13 mins read
Post author:Samuel Yee War Leung, Diya Baker, Nicole Leung
Post category:Article

Mask wearing may increase the risk of ocular infections with organisms that are not usually encountered as pathogenic. Moraxella Non-liquefaciens is normally commensal in the upper respiratory tract, non-pathogenic, and rarely found to be the causative organism in microbial keratitis. At the Ophthalmology department covering the England West Midlands North we encountered 4 patients, each with a unique Moraxella strain after the end of the second lockdown.

Eye-Si Simulation: An Overview

Post published:April 28, 2022
Reading time:3 mins read
Post author:Rubia Akhtar
Post category:Article

The Eye-Si is a surgical simulator used in ophthalmic training to help build trainees familiarity and proficiency in intra-ocular surgical techniques. It provides a safe environment to polish and refine surgical techniques prior to approaching patients in the theatre.

Congenital infections of the eye

Post published:March 30, 2022
Reading time:17 mins read
Post author:Imran Karim Janmohamed
Post category:Article

Neonatal ophthalmic pathologies should be identified as early as possible in order to address problems before they progress and become irreversible. In the UK, this is made achievable by the standard Newborn Infant Physical Examination. This comprises an assessment looking for external structural abnormalities in the eye which may inform a number of genetic syndromes, identifying the red reflex, direct ophthalmoscopy and other tests. This article aims to provide an overview of the manifestations of congenital eye infections and their management.

Neonatal examination of the eye: an overview

Post published:March 30, 2022
Reading time:12 mins read
Post author:Imran Karim Janmohamed
Post category:Article

Eyesight is often regarded as the most valuable human sense. Thus, the identification and prevention of ophthalmic pathologies in neonates is a key component of the newborn examination in order to commence the management of ophthalmic conditions before they persist and lead to irreversible damage. In the UK, the standard Newborn Infant Physical Examination (NIPE) comprises an assessment of the eye in order to identify features such as abnormal eye movements, decreased visual acuity and symmetry of gaze that may point to early pathologies. As practitioners, it is important to identify signs that warrant further specialist examination, with appropriate follow-up, or features that can actually be normal in infants and children to reassure parents and caregivers. This article aims to provide an overview of this examination.

How is the World Health Organization (WHO) tackling neglected tropical diseases affecting the eye? The case of trachoma and onchocerciasis

Post published:March 26, 2022
Reading time:15 mins read
Post author:Merina Kurian, Baya Nozad
Post category:Article

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are defined as diseases that mainly affect individuals living in the most deprived populations globally and continue to persist as a consequence of poverty. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that greater than 1.7 billion individuals are affected by NTDs, largely in countries of lower to middle-income or low-income. Several factors influence the persistence of NTDs including inadequate data regarding the conditions, poor political support, ineffective ways to remove human waste safely, and limited availability of clean water. There are 20 currently listed NTDs. Several NTDs can impact eye health such as blinding trachoma and onchocerciasis (river blindness) which table 1 outlines. This article provides an overview of the WHO initiatives to manage trachoma and onchocerciasis, two NTDs that can affect the eyes.

Top tips for teaching during a pandemic: reflections on teaching ophthalmology

Post published:March 26, 2022
Reading time:11 mins read
Post author:Merina Kurian, Emma Brattle, Christian Hariman, Kam Balaggan
Post category:Article

As clinical teaching fellows, we have had the privilege to teach medical students between August 2020 to August 2021. In a usual year, this would involve exclusively face-to-face teaching for both lectures and clinical examination sessions. However, following the announcement of the second lockdown in October 2020 we had to adapt our programme. To reduce the number of students on site, one day a week became a ‘virtual learning day’, involving both small and large group tutorials. Following being tasked with the responsibility of teaching ophthalmology to the fourth-year medical students, an important question loomed: how can we ensure that teaching via a virtual learning platform is both engaging and beneficial? This was further compounded by the fact that ophthalmology is a sub-speciality in which most medical students have limited teaching in the UK . Following our experiences, we have outlined the key strategies which enabled us to teach effectively during the pandemic.