Ophthalmology
Paediatric optic disc anomalies
Anomalies of the optic nerve are relatively rare, but account for a significant proportion of sight impairment in children and adults. The recognition of these anomalies by eye health professionals is important not only due to their potential impact on...
Tricks and tips for paediatric refraction
Refraction is an important part of the paediatric eye examination but can sometimes be challenging. If a child struggles to co-operate with the eye examination, how can one ensure that the best outcome is achieved? There are tips here which...
Looking on the brightside: Lord David Blunkett
“I can hear people smile” As a young adult in the 1980s and 1990s I gradually became more politically informed with occasional forays into BBC’s Question Time. In doing so, I learnt of the rise of politician David Blunkett, a...
Semaglutide and vision loss: A new concern for NAION risk?
This article has been verified for CPD. Click the button below to answer a few short questions and download a form to be included in your CPD folder. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have emerged as transformative agents in...
Advanced level practice for ophthalmic nursing
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Ophthalmic Nursing Forum (ONF) is committed to clinical excellence through advancing ophthalmic nursing practice and supporting career development. With the increasing demand for ophthalmic services, advanced and specialist practice roles are vital to increase...
Coaching: Supporting doctors’ development and wellbeing
Supporting and retaining the workforce is a top priority for all NHS organisations, but it’s not clear how best to do this, or how such support should be funded. Junior doctors have clinical and educational supervision, and the quality of...
Childhood glaucoma
When a child is given a diagnosis of glaucoma, the impact upon that child and their family is enormous; equivalent to the diagnosis of a cancer [14]. This previously published article (2019) outlines the knowledge, techniques and approaches that offer...
A semi-automated algorithm for identifying glaucoma patients with blindness
Patients with sight impairment (previously referred to as partial sightedness) or severe sight impairment (previously referred to as blindness) are eligible for a certificate of visual impairment (CVI). Certification confers eligibility for a wide range of benefits administered by local...
Life in the glaucoma laboratory
When people ask me what life in the laboratory is really like, I often pause. On one hand, it is the romantic notion of pushing back the boundaries of science with the daily rhythm of experiments, data and easily obtained...
The Sickle Cell Retinopathy Network is leading global change in screening and management
Sickle cell disease or disorder (SCD) is one of the most neglected health conditions in the world. A strong hypothesis is that this is because SCD affects people of African, Caribbean and other Global Majority communities and has received disproportionately...
Addressing diabetes-related complications in Tanzania and Eswatini: A comprehensive approach to eye and foot screening
Diabetes is rising globally, particularly in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), where healthcare systems are under resourced [1,2]. Among its complications, diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic foot disease are preventable yet frequently overlooked [3-6]. These problems often develop together due...
Four pillars: The importance of clinical research
This series explores the four pillars of advanced clinical practice and here, Rebecca Turner explores the pillar of clinical research. The role of the ophthalmic advanced nurse practitioner, as with all registered practitioners allied to ophthalmology, is on an upward...
