Retinal prosthetics: science fiction or a vision for the future?

“Is it a fact – or have I dreamt it – that, by means of electricity, the world of matter has become a great nerve, vibrating thousands of miles in a breathless point of time?” – Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House...

Management of retinal diseases: highlights from the AAO 2019 Retina Subspecialty Day Meeting

The author highlights current debate, opinion and late breaking developments in the management of retinal diseases. The American Academy of Ophthalmology’s 2019 Retina Subspecialty Day Meeting was held on 11-12 October, 2019 in San Francisco, USA. Established and emerging innovative...

Management of DMO and PDR in 2019

An evidence-based approach to the management of diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) in 2019 was outlined by Sobha Sivaprasad, UK, in presentations during the Diabetic Retina scientific session September 6 2019, at the 19th European Society...

Corporate M&A pace gathers momentum

Intensifying franchise competition, maturing product development pipelines and looming loss of exclusivity spur renewed merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the ophthalmics sector. Rod McNeil reviews recent deals and related strategic developments. AbbVie to acquire Allergan in $63 billion mega-combination,...

Coming to terms with AI

A machine might be called intelligent if its response to questions could convince a person that it was human, a test proposed by Alan Turing in 1950 [1]. The author considers potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) using machine learning...

Quality matters in the management of serious eye disorders

The author discusses the first quality standard for serious eye disorders from NICE and takes a look at new care models for enhanced service delivery. Patient backlogs pose risks to patient safety, with research showing that people are losing sight...

Assessing everyday visual function in dry AMD – what matters to the person?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the primary cause of blindness in the developed world and is accountable for more than one half of sight impairment registrations within England and Wales [1]. AMD is prevalent in people aged 60 years and...

Twenty-five years in retina

In the next of our articles celebrating 25 years of Eye News, the authors look at how the retina specialty has changed over this time and ask what the future might hold. Retinal disease management has benefited from great advances...

Advances and developments in medical retina

The author provides an update on late breaking clinical trial results in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and presentations on diabetes management from the American Academy of Ophthalmology Retina Subspecialty Day, held during the Academy’s annual meeting in Chicago, October...

Simulated intravitreal injection training – the way forward

Simulated surgical training is now recommended in the training curricula of all ophthalmologists in the United Kingdom [1]. Simulated training allows for familiarisation with a procedure, exercises the discipline of repetition, allows the resolution of technical difficulties and enables refinement...

Eye disease patients have more opportunity than ever to take part in NHS research studies

A new report highlights how 76% of UK hospitals now offer patients the opportunity to take part in studies of eye disease to improve research and innovation. ‘Ophthalmology research in the UK’s National Health Service: the structure and performance of...

Well-presented scholarly research work will reduce chances of journal rebuttal

Submitting to an academic journal? Are you aware of the requirements and constraints of relevant copyright laws? Rod McNeil provides a guide for aspiring authors. Getting published in peer-reviewed academic and medical journals is not easy. But careful attention to...