Trainees
The expanding role of the optometrist
Eyecare in the UK has seen significant changes in recent years, with new models of care, technological advancements and an increased emphasis on primary eyecare in some UK nations. Crucially, an ageing population demographic is set to escalate further both...
Preparing to start as a consultant
I was just coming to the end of a fantastic glaucoma fellowship at Moorfields, during which Samad Ansari had been a colleague and friend, and soon to start as a consultant in Oxford where Rebecca Turner is Clinical Director, and...
Scholarships, awards and prizes
Perhaps one of the less well-known benefits of being a member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) is access to the range of scholarships, awards and prizes that we offer. Many of you will be aware of the annual...
Postgraduate training for ophthalmic practitioners
The UK currently spends £25 billion per year on ocular disease, and there is expected to be a 40% increase in those affected by visual impairment by 2050 [1]. To manage this demand, 82% of ophthalmology units across the UK...
Navigating an Ophthalmology Lab-Based Research Elective: Reflections and Insights from Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute
Medical school electives offer valuable opportunities to gain exposure to different healthcare systems and bridge specific gaps in training. While clinical electives are often the primary choice for medical students, research-focused electives also present unique benefits, particularly for those interested...
Behind the curtain: What trainees wish they knew before starting in ophthalmology
As a foundation year doctor, I didn’t expect ophthalmology to feature much in acute medicine or surgery. Yet it kept appearing at the periphery – and when it did, it was often complex and unexpectedly urgent. A confused older patient...
An ophthalmology elective in Kandy, Sri Lanka
On my first day at The Centre for Sight, Kandy General Hospital, I observed an enucleation. The surgeons worked with quiet precision, preserving the extraocular muscles for prosthesis placement. But when the time came, it became clear that the prosthesis...
Ophthalmology elective: A reflection from Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
I was fortunate enough to undertake an eight-week ophthalmology elective at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in Moshi, Tanzania. It was an unforgettable two months, filled with once-in-a-life-time experiences and also the opportunity to gain invaluable clinical knowledge. KCMC...
My message to future ophthalmology teaching fellows: Organising an effective ophthalmology placement
Globally, teaching ophthalmology during the undergraduate period presents challenges. The time allocated for it is minimal with substandard exposure [1,2]. Additionally, the number of universities mandating formal ophthalmology education has significantly declined [3]. Research supports the observation that doctors in...
Eyes on Rwanda: Lessons from an international ophthalmology experience
On the 26 February 2025, I travelled to Rwanda on the invitation of a former Belfast trainee, Michael Mikhail. Michael is now one of only two vitreoretinal (VR) surgeons in Rwanda, a country with a population of 14 million. Born...
Record rise in competition ratios for ophthalmology: What does this mean for the future of the ophthalmology training programme?
In this article, Adina Smith discusses factors likely to contribute to the record rise in competition ratios and the impact this may have on the future of OST. Ophthalmology specialty training (OST) is the fifth most competitive training programme in...
The visual field of empathy: What ophthalmology taught me about seeing the patient
It was a busy shift on the ward. Amongst the chest pains and fevers was an older woman referred for confusion. She was quiet, polite, and compliant – the kind of patient who doesn’t raise alarms. As we spoke, I...
