Ophthalmology
Treatment of diabetic macular oedema
Diabetic macular oedema (DMO) is a common complication associated with diabetic retinopathy, and the most common cause of visual impairment in diabetes [1]. With predicted rising levels of diabetes (in England by 2025 the estimated population with diabetes will be...
Contemporary glaucoma therapy: spoilt for choice
The goal of glaucoma management is to prevent visual loss and disease progression in the patient’s lifetime through effective lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP), the primary modifiable risk factor in glaucoma. Sustained and consistent IOP reduction is key to halting...
The Eye Health Network – an ‘optometry-first’ approach to eye care
Historically, in NHS Grampian, ophthalmology and optometry worked separately, with even the process of optometry referral to hospital occurring only at the behest of the patient’s general practitioner (GP). Criteria for referral were not discussed and feedback after referral was...
Burning vision: vision loss from misuse of ‘toy’ laser pens in children
A case series of five children with macular burns due to the misuse of novelty laser products, purchased online or abroad, was undertaken at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital and The Children’s Hospital, Sheffield [1]. All patients were from the Sheffield...
Guide to Gaining Approval for a Clinical Study
This article focuses on gaining approval for clinical research involving NHS patients, although the principles can be applied to other types of research. The intention is to give an overview of the requirements for setting up a research study, but...
Ophthalmology in the developing world
After the second year of medical school, I spent my summer vacation working as a volunteer for a small Italian non-government organisation (NGO), named HEALTH-AID. As part of my volunteering experience, I joined a team of European doctors, medical students...
Inherited retinal disorders now the leading cause of blindness
The recent paper in BMJ Open, from the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, ‘A comparison of the causes of blindness certifications in England and Wales in working age adults (16-64 years), 1999-2000 with 2009-2010’ concludes that inherited retinal disorders (IRD) such...
The importance of ‘hands-on’ learning
Providing ongoing professional education and development for the allied professions out of the clinic or hospital setting is often quite challenging. The reorganisation of rotas, heavy clinic lists and financial constraints all add up to making the opportunity to learn...
Eye Capacity: clinical need should drive ophthalmic service provision
Almost two million people in the UK suffer sight loss, a number forecast to double over coming decades. Major causes of blindness are age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataract and uncorrected refractive error. Prevalence of these sight-threatening conditions...
Addressing medical risk factors for diabetes and understanding the new systemic treatments
As global diabetes figures continue to rise, the importance of reducing the burden of macrovascular and microvascular complications of diabetes has never been so great. By 2025 it is estimated that five million people in the UK will have diabetes...
An introduction to research governance
Research is the process of acquiring new generalisable knowledge and should be fully integrated into health care work. There is a growing drive to encourage and further develop evidence-based practice in ophthalmology so that staff and patients benefit from improved...
A day in the life of...an ophthalmic imager / an orthoptic assistant
The ophthalmic imager My role as an ophthalmic / medical photographer has evolved, dramatically, since I began my career at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, 30 years ago. Long gone are the days of developing and hand printing fluorescein angiograms in...
