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Ophthalmic entrepreneurship: Reflections from an ophthalmic surgeon

For many ophthalmic trainees and newly appointed consultants, the idea of medical entrepreneurship can feel distant and sometimes uncomfortable. We are trained in a profession centred on patient care, ethics and service. The word entrepreneur, by contrast, often brings to...

Empowering primary care patients registered blind or partially sighted

With two million people in the UK living with visual impairment [1], being able to provide equitable and effective communication to this group of patients is essential in primary care. Yet, as highlighted by research conducted by Sight Loss Councils,...

More sensitive visual acuity test for age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. Primarily associated with ageing, genetic factors and lifestyle choices such as smoking also play a contributory role. Patients with early AMD, characterised by the development of...

Gene therapy for inherited retinal disease: the Manchester Ocular Gene Therapy Group MDT service

The authors describe the process set up in Manchester for the optimum delivery and assessment of a new gene therapy treatment for patients with RPE65 IRD. Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) are the second commonest cause of severe visual impairment in...

Strategies for fostering psychological safety in healthcare

Holding a degree in Ecology, an MBA, and currently pursuing a Masters in Global Health and Humanitarianism at the University of Manchester, Tom merges academic knowledge with real-world experience. His focus lies in leveraging the transformative power of psychological safety,...

From paper to digital: Real lessons for a sustainable NHS digital future

Portsmouth's OpenEyes implementation reveals why healthcare digital transformation needs honest evaluation, proper clinical leadership resourcing and realistic expectations about technology efficiency promises. Like many eye departments across the NHS, we at Portsmouth were drowning in paper. Notes went missing, handwriting...

Artificial intelligence co-creation for educational learning tools and targeted simulators

Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools are becoming increasingly common within clinical practice and medical education, and using AI in simulation as a pure learning tool and for assessment has been widely discussed. Targeted, efficient use of such tools has been shown...

Commonwealth nations join forces to prevent blindness from diabetes

More than 70 representatives from 10 Commonwealth countries (in the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions) and Indonesia gathered at a five-day workshop in November 2014 to establish district or national plans to reduce blindness from diabetic retinopathy (DR). The event...

Ophthalmology clinical teaching and research fellowships: a pathway into ophthalmology specialty training

Ophthalmology is known for being one of the most competitive medical specialties in the UK, with 6.8 applicants per post in 2021. In fact, the competition ratio has drastically increased in recent years, rising from 5.73 in 2020 and 3.24...