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Development of eyecare services in Dominica: Past, present, and future

Dominica is a small island developing state in the Caribbean with a population of approximately 73,000 people [1] and has a long and proud history of developing eyecare services through international partnerships. This article will give you an outline of...

Lothian Optometry Teach and Treat Clinic

The Lothian Optometry Teach and Treat (LOTT) Clinic is a supervised training clinic for community optometrists with an interest in managing patients with acute eye pathology, normally managed in the hospital setting. LOTT, which is the first clinic of its...

Competition ratios: Is the future of ophthalmology too bright?

In the UK, ophthalmology is a highly competitive speciality, attracting many medical graduates keen to pursue a career in this area. However, in recent years, the competition ratios for ophthalmology ST1 training posts have increased significantly, creating a challenging environment...

VISION 2020 LINKS Programme: building capacity for eye care services in Nigeria through leadership and skills development

The Lagos-Bolton VISION 2020 LINK started in December 2011. It is one of 29 LINKS now running in the VISION 2020 LINKS Programme [1]. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with a current population of 178 million, projected...

Introduction of the Mydriasert insert at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital

The authors report on a study to examine the effects of the Mydriasert insert on time, effects, patient comfort and tolerability at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. Mydriasert is an insoluble ophthalmic insert indicated for mydriasis prior to ophthalmic surgery, which...

The Eye Health Network – an ‘optometry-first’ approach to eye care

Historically, in NHS Grampian, ophthalmology and optometry worked separately, with even the process of optometry referral to hospital occurring only at the behest of the patient’s general practitioner (GP). Criteria for referral were not discussed and feedback after referral was...

Working smarter not harder: How to transform eyecare delivery in the United Kingdom (part 2)

Are we doing enough to meet the current demands on ophthalmic services? In part two of a two-part series (see Part 1 here), Rosalind Harrison explains how efficiency can be improved by setting up eye services in community hubs. The...

My Top Five: Foundation year 3 jobs for prospective ophthalmology candidates

Ophthalmology specialist training (OST) is a fantastic career option, however, it is also a highly competitive specialty. There was a gradual rise in competition ratios in recent years: 3.24 (2019), 5.73 (2020), and 6.80 (2021) [1]. Many choose to pursue...

‘Phaco-plus’ procedures at forefront of modern glaucoma management

Glaucoma and cataract increasingly present as a ‘two-in-one’ surgical opportunity. In the UK, new modelling suggests ~1 million adults aged ≥40 may currently have glaucoma, with a projected rise to ~1.6 million by 2060 as the population ages and demographics...

The International AMD Genomics Consortium study: another success in understanding the complex genetics of AMD

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a neurodegenerative complex disease of the eye and a major cause of blindness and visual impairment among the elderly worldwide. The early stages of the disease are characterised by asymptomatic pigmentary abnormalities and accumulation of...

Breakthroughs in the genetics of angle-closure glaucoma

Angle closure glaucoma (ACG) is not widely known to be a familial condition, yet the recent explosion of genetic data and large scale genome wide investigations have confirmed at least 13 genetic loci associated with ACG [1], and provided some...