Welcome to our Spring Special of 2024! The year is well underway and I can feel change is in the air. It’s the Chinese year of the dragon, generally regarded as a good sign, plus it’s 40 years on from 1984, the title of George Orwell’s classic novel. I wonder what Orwell would have made of how things have panned out since the time in which his dystopian world was set. 1984 was also the year my ophthalmology adventure began working down South for my first SHO job. I was so preoccupied trying to get to grips with eyes it left little time to worry if the ‘Big Brother’ nightmare was going to come true, nevertheless I felt quite relieved to make it through the year in one piece.
Back then few would have predicted that 40 years on, the world would be mired by war, conflict, and climate crises, currently dominating the news; nor indeed that our specialty would have come so far. In this regard, our current cracker of a bimonthly speaks to this impressive trajectory which would have amazed my younger self back then. Once again, our brilliant contributors and talented Eye News team have worked tirelessly to deliver a super Easter collection of goodies.
Our topics span updates and perspectives on domestic and global topics, Andrew and Nick cover international ophthalmology, Anitha and Rhys update us on myopia and motility, while Sarah and Akash consider teaching and training. Covid-19 learnings from virtual teachings from Sarah and Andre nestle next to our staple set of patient reports, top tips and trainee perspectives. These articles are the beating heart of Eye News, especially those sent to us from trainees who are at the vanguard of our specialty driving us forward through 2024 and beyond. Your Eds are particularly keen to hear more young voices, so please do send in feedback, views and articles.
Trainees have a unique opportunity to observe, critically appraise and suggest new ways of looking at old problems, plus provide a nudge to do things differently and change practice. If you’re a trainee, chances are that our readers are thinking the same as you, so, if you have an inkling or an itch needing a literary scratch, put finger to keyboard and send it in. You might have an idea for regular review to add to our Tech, Top 5 or Trending columns, or even the Eye on Art series, so why not give your thoughts an airing in 2024? Don’t worry if you feel it’s unconventional or a bit off the beaten track, as long as it educates, engages and entertains, you’ll find a warm reception at Eye News. Case in point, the antics of Bogus Pete. For Apr/May 2024 we find him fast asleep, face down in his free pharma pizza. Not a pretty sight.
Speaking of my good buddy Pete, who I’ve known as man and boy, he is being elevated to the dizzy heights of co-Edship, and I am delighted to say that he and David shall be sitting on the Eye News tandem to navigate us down the ophthalmic road ahead, in tireless pursuit of tasty eye news stories.
I have been keeping the saddle warm for some time now and the pressure sores need looking at, but not before bequeathing Pete my sweaty seat which he is now eager and willing to mount. I have every confidence that our specialty and Eye News will go from strength to strength – rather less confident about world affairs.
2024 is going to be a year of elections on both sides of the pond. The candidates on offer do not inspire confidence, especially those long-past their sell-by date pedalling pure hubris. Orwell observed that “Every generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it”, a collective delusion repeating across history. I don’t think anyone would argue that on a global scale the old guard have tended to make rather a hash of things, so what better time for the young to step up and clear up the mess bequeathed to them? Maybe I’ll check in to see if things are looking any better 40 years hence. Until then, over to you David and Peter, in you we trust…
– BD
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