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Quiz Dec/Jan 2023

History A 35-year-old female presented to the emergency eye clinic with an acutely red, painful, photophobic left eye. She was a contact lens-wearer but denied swimming, showering, or sleeping in her lenses. She resided on a farm and worked as...

Quiz Feb/Mar 2024

History A 21-month-old boy presented to his local ophthalmology department with a left proptotic eye from a growing cystic lesion known to be present from birth. Notes taken on presentation were: Known left microphthalmia with chorio-retinal coloboma, contralateral eye was...

Quiz Jun/Jul 2024

History A one-year-old girl originally presented with a red eye, initially bilaterally and later in the left only. On examination a membrane was found on the tarsal conjunctiva of the upper eyelid (Figure 1). Figure 1: Anterior segment. Serum plasminogen...

Quiz Oct/Nov 2024

History An 83-year-old female was previously treated by surgical excision and plaque brachytherapy for her left conjunctival lesion. She presented to her ophthalmologist with a recurrence some years later and underwent a lid sparing orbital exenteration, which was sent to...

Third nerve palsy

Case scenarios A 71-year-old female presented to a nearby eye emergency unit with two days history of partial ptosis in her left eye with diplopia. She saw her GP earlier that day and he asked her to go to the...

Acanthaemoeba keratitis

In the second of this series I describe a case of Acanthaemoeba keratitis (AK) that was misdiagnosed for a prolonged period which resulted in a devastating outcome. This is one of half a dozen similar medico-legal cases I have dealt...

Hydroxychloroquine toxicity

Being the subject of litigation is stressful and upsetting. Having to look back over your previous decisions and justify the care you delivered in good faith can be difficult. Sadly, we all live with the Sword of Damocles above us...

Ophthalmology survey results June/July 2019

Firstly may I thank all of you who took the time to answer the survey. I hope you will agree that the findings are very interesting. From a medicolegal perspective we always consider the Bolam test which can be summarised...

Ophthalmology survey results August/September 2019

I am delighted to see another great response to the practice variance survey. I am extremely grateful to all of you who took part and would encourage those of you who didn’t to try this survey. It literally takes mere...

The results of the last survey Apr 2020

As ever, I would like to thank all those who participated in the last edition’s survey. A lot of data was generated and I do not intend to go through each individual finding. What is staggering again is the degree...

The results of the last survey Apr21

There was a really fascinating response to the last edition’s practice variance survey. Strictly speaking, I cheated and this was not really about practice variation, but more about your impressions about what represents negligent practice. For the first time ever,...

The results of the last survey Feb22

This edition’s survey took a slightly different tack and tried to look at the problems we face in litigation. Litigation is unpleasant. It is horrible being involved in it and the process of litigation can be extremely stressful. From the...