Ophthalmology
Surgical treatment of high myopia
Although several excellent modalities are available for correcting high myopia, the surgical treatment of this condition remains one of the biggest challenges for refractive surgeons; this group of patients is often very dependent on contact lenses. If these patients become...
EU: is it time to leave and embrace the world?
Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union (EU) or leave? It’s a big decision involving some complex issues, and there’s no doubt the EU will continue to change. Ipsos MORI’s monthly EU voting intention poll published...
Papilloedema: an update
Some readers may have seen a recent report in the national newspapers of the case of a teenage girl with persistent severe headache associated with a fatal brain tumour having been undiagnosed despite many consultations with her medical advisers. It...
The eye without tears
The Art is long and Life is short. So goes the dispiriting tag in Latin and flung from day one and at regular intervals thereafter at idle medical students who, inevitably brainwashed, come by graduation to believe that the only...
Cutting-edge practice in glaucoma care: what, how and why?
More effective treatments and drug delivery modalities, implantable minimally invasive glaucoma surgical (MIGS) devices, as well as accelerating clinical research programmes, will transform the surgical and clinical management of glaucoma in the near future. There is also an ever-greater emphasis...
Neuro-ophthalmic disease patterns in Southeast Asia with particular reference to giant cell arteritis
As indicated in an earlier article in Eye News [1] Dr Cullen was invited in 2000 to the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) as visiting Professor with a specific remit to set up a specialist neuro-ophthalmology service, which was the...
Resurfacing the ocular surface
The ocular surface (OS) is an anatomical and functional unit made of the tear film, the conjunctival, limbal and corneal epithelium, the lacrimal, mucous and meibomian glands and the lids and blink reflex. The tear film is composed of a...
It’s not all about ARED - Time for a pragmatic approach to nutrition for eye health?
Advances in treatment for retinal diseases involving neovascularisation have undoubtedly changed the future of eye care across the UK for the better, but also created great challenges for service delivery in ophthalmology, particularly within the NHS. Some statistics are starting...
Identifying drugs associated with intraoperative floppy iris syndrome
Before David Chang MD from the University of California found out about intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS), ophthalmologists were mystified each time they came across cataract surgeries that were characterised by sudden intraoperative iris prolapse and pupil constriction. The biggest...
Regulatory drug evaluations and expedited review initiatives: EU and US perspectives
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) each conduct independent assessments of benefit-risk profile when evaluating applications to market new or modified medicines, and their respective decision-making is guided by distinct legislation, procedures and...
Grading of ocular inflammation in uveitis: an overview
Anterior uveitis is the commonest form of uveitis, which can lead to severe morbidity if not treated appropriately [1]. Data from general ophthalmology practices suggest around 90% of uveitis encountered by comprehensive ophthalmologists is anterior uveitis [2]. Intermediate (vitreous), posterior...
Optimising the ocular surface by managing meibomian gland dysfunction
Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is ubiquitous. Ocular surface inflammation and irritation are prevalent in most ophthalmology clinics: corneal, cataract, glaucoma, oculoplastic, paediatric, vitreo-retinal, medical retina and refractive surgery. These patients also represent roughly one third of those attending for emergency...
