Trainees
Virtual reality for the ophthalmic trainee
If you believe the tech blogs 2015 is the year of virtual reality. Industry experts believe this will be due to the potential commercial release of the poster boy of this new revolution, the Oculus Rift. This is a headset...
On the wrong track
A 65-year-old very high myope lady presented with sudden blurred vision down to count fingers to her right eye after a short and sharp pain. She also described seeing a black swirly line and as all these symptoms were exactly...
Lines, dots, spots and rings in ophthalmology: understanding eponyms
Eponymous names are familiar to all who have undergone undergraduate and postgraduate training in medicine. The ability to name a few allows one to stand out among your peers and rare, or not so rare, eponymous syndromes are a favourite...
Anisometropia following cataract surgery and its non-surgical treatment
The desired result of cataract surgery is improved visual acuity without the use of spectacles. In practice most patients following initial cataract extraction are likely to be symptomatic of anisometropia giving rise to prismatic effects (anisophoria) and unequal retinal image...
The management of retinal vein occlusions: a summary
Retinal vein occlusions (RVO) are the most common cause of visual loss from retinal vascular disease second to diabetic retinopathy. Vision is lost due to ischaemia, macular oedema and / or haemorrhage which ultimately effects a patient’s quality of life...
“I can’t see nothing out of that eye, you ....!”
This is exactly the call you don’t want to receive at 11 at night. The A&E colleague phoned to inform me about a young man who was kicked several times in the face and could not see out of one...
External dacryocystorhinostomy in the management of childhood epiphora
Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction is thought to be caused by a membranous obstruction at the distal end of the nasolacrimal duct (NLD). Rarely, associated midline deformities in soft tissue and bony structures of the face are present in patients with...
The writer: publishing my first book as a trainee
Medicine is very hierarchical. Indeed, Hippocrates himself laid the foundation of the apprenticeship that is medical training and while it is the noble duty of the boss to pass on information and ask for tasks to be undertaken as a...
A European ophthalmology perspective
Europe: from the Greek eurus: broad, wide, and ops: eye, face, sight. Thus Europe = the far-sighted (lady). For my first contribution to this column – as the successor of Jonathan Park, whose witty observations and entertaining style many of...
Ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid: the importance of early detection and treatment
Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is an autoimmune blistering disorder that is characterised by subepithelial bullae. The ocular manifestation of MMP, ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid (OMMP), is a sight-threatening condition characterised by conjunctival cicatricial changes associated with corneal vascularisation and scarring....
Friendly felines and a spot diagnosis
A nine-year-old girl presented to me in eye casualty with a three-week history of blurred vision in her left eye. Otherwise she was apparently well, with no past ophthalmic, medical, drug or relevant family history. Visual acuity was 6/4 right...
Fusarium keratitis in a patient with alcohol dependence
Treatment of fungal keratitis secondary to the Fusarium species remains a challenge. Although relatively more common in warmer climates, this corneal infection is rare in the UK. Most cases have been reported in farmers and are often preceded by trauma....
