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Demystifying external trainee selected components and out of programme experiences

If you don’t know your external TSCs from your OOPC/OOPT/OOPE/OOPR, then this article is for you. Trainee selected components (TSC) are College-approved periods of training, usually ranging from six months to a year (formally ASTO) of intensive subspecialty training in...

Pituitary adenoma causing compression of the optic chiasm

A 21-year-old girl presented to her general practitioner (GP) with a three-month history of headaches, becoming more frequent and associated intermittent vomiting that did not improve with simple analgesics. There was a strong family history of migraines. She was initially...

How to pass the Refraction Certificate

Unfortunately, I had the pleasure of getting to know this exam intimately. With adequate preparation this does not have to be the case for most people. The exam has recently changed to consist of 10 OSCE style stations (previously 12)....

Passing the Refraction Certificate as a Foundation doctor

Application for ophthalmic specialist training (OST) is competitive. This means you should consider making every effort to maximise your portfolio points, as it may have a significant contribution to your OST application ranking. The “Commitment to Specialty” section is the...

Emerging developments in dry eye

An estimated 344 million people worldwide suffer from dry eye [1]. This chronic syndrome is characterised by a vicious cycle of tear film hyperosmolarity, tear instability and corneal stress, leading to increased friction, inflammation, ocular surface damage and decreased visual...

Educational concerns and anxiety levels amongst ophthalmology trainees during the COVID-19 pandemic

How concerned are ophthalmology trainees about the present impact and the future consequences of suspended ophthalmic training programmes? Researchers in the West of Scotland investigate. Anxiety, stress and the longer-term stress reaction of burnout often go unrecognised, yet are known...

Could the sclera be key to glaucoma?

The glaucomas are a group of conditions characterised by optic neuropathy and associated visual field defects. Of these, chronic open-angle glaucoma (COAG) – diagnosed on the basis of progressive structural changes to the optic nerve head (ONH) and nerve fibre...

SOS (Simplified Ophthalmic Statistics) Part 3: Which statistical test should I use (if any)?

P<0.05 is a statement that brings joy to many researchers. Arguably this is because inclusion of such a statement may increase the chance of acceptance for publication. Whilst statisticians and non-statisticians are united in trying to change this culture, cultural...

Practical phacodynamics – making the most of your phacoemulsification machine

Understanding phacodynamics is appreciating the subtleties in the dynamic changes of the fluidics and the ultrasonic power delivered. Kristina Southcott explains. Increase my vacuum! Increase my bottle height! Increase my phaco power! I frequently observe the above commands being directed...

An anterior segment lump: a diagnostic and treatment challenge

Case presentation A 50-year-old female presented to eye casualty with a lump on the left medial lower eyelid with associated redness and occasional bleeding. The lump was present for a few months with recent enlargement (Figure 1). Her past medical...

Appeal for fundus cameras and OCT machines for Nigeria

Nigeria has the highest population of people living with diabetes mellitus (DM) in sub-Saharan Africa. As at 2013 the population of people living with DM stood at 4.9 million, of whom an estimated 1.7 million had diabetic retinopathy (DR). There is currently no national DR screening and treatment programme.

How to nearly (but not quite) get into ST1 ophthalmology training – some reflections

Ophthalmology is often considered to be an elite, highly competitive specialty, with little room for failure. Candidates and trainees tend to cultivate a certain urbane and confident style, and the bottleneck at ST1 can feel rather intense. The majority of...