In the digital age, medical education is being rapidly updated and transformed with the integration of modern technology. Many enthusiastic educators and learners are exploring novel platforms and formats of medical education. Additionally, there has been an increasing need for virtual and self-directed learning since the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the form of photos, graphs or narrated videos, visual learning is particularly suitable for both the basic sciences and the clinical aspects of ophthalmology. YouTube is an online video sharing and social media platform launched in 2005 and has rapidly achieved great popularity worldwide. Nowadays, an abundance of medical education resources can be found on YouTube, and many of them are ophthalmology-related. In this article, I would like to share my top five ophthalmology YouTube channels.
‘Last-Minute’ Review of Optics and Refraction by Dr David Hunter
www.youtube.com/channel/UCMY3b_UCu7XMHuFlug2zD4w
Dr David Hunter is the Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at Boston Children’s Hospital and Professor and Vice Chair of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. His YouTube channel presents annual reviews of optics and refraction. His lectures on optics and refraction are one of the best that I have watched so far. Each annual review lecture is usually live-streamed in February or March and can be watched as a recording on his channel afterwards. Each lecture lasts about six hours. The lastest 2021 lecture covered the top 10 optics topics, including Prentice’s rule, Vertex distance, magnification of a telescope, Jackson cross cylinder, size of a scotoma on tangent screen, accommodation, cause of acquired refractive errors, object / image placement, contact lens fitting and surgically induced refractive errors. This lecture was divided into four parts: basics in optics, refraction, other optics of note, and practical optics. This channel is perfect for those starting to learn optics, as the content is interesting and very well explained. It is also good for those who would like an update of their optics and refraction knowledge.
‘NODAL’ Neuro-Ophthalmology with Dr Andrew G Lee
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5HcfsELV0W9AqtvJvpQQSg/featured
Dr Lee is a Professor in the Departments of Ophthalmology, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Weill Cornell Medical College. He is a neuro-ophthalmologist and is the Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology, Blanton Eye Institute, at Houston Methodist Hospital. His channel contains hundreds of bite-sized videos on neuro-ophthalmology. Dr Lee uses a white board to present the key information. His drawings are simple and memorable. He always manages to make complicated concepts easier to understand and memorise. His channel recently introduced a new mini-series called Eye Wonder, where he encourages the audience to ask questions and propose the topics they would like to learn.
American Academy of Ophthalmology
www.youtube.com/user/AAOtv/featured
The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) is the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons working to protect sight and empower lives. Their YouTube channel contains videos covering various topics such as career choices, conferences, clinical knowledge, examination techniques, COVID-19 and the changes to the lives of ophthalmologists.
Shannon Wong, MD
www.youtube.com/c/ShannonWongMD/featured
Shannon Wong, MD, is an ophthalmologist in Austin, Texas, specialising in LASIK, cataract and corneal surgeries. His channel features videos for both patients and ophthalmologists. A wide range of topics are covered, including videos of eye surgeries, clinical ophthalmology, patient education, pre- and post-op instructions, technology reviews, patient experiences, other aspects of medicine and ophthalmology such as leadership and business, and unusual eye surgical cases. He also shares his personal experiences in medicine and ophthalmology in the form of vlogs and podcasts. I found the videos of complex surgeries and rare eye surgical cases particularly interesting.
Sharjeel Eye Care
www.youtube.com/channel/UCeUGQg3fsGvIeaNSmAth85g/featured
This channel provides lots of videos on eye signs, ophthalmic surgeries and case discussions. It is not confined to any specific aspect of ophthalmology. Instead, it encompasses everything ophthalmology-related. And some of the eye signs shown using videos of actual patients are especially valuable to watch and learn.
Declaration of competing interests: None declared.
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