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Inherited retinal disorders now the leading cause of blindness

The recent paper in BMJ Open, from the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, ‘A comparison of the causes of blindness certifications in England and Wales in working age adults (16-64 years), 1999-2000 with 2009-2010’ concludes that inherited retinal disorders (IRD) such...

Embracing assistive technology in the fight against sight loss

The author shares his own experience of sight loss and explains the vital role assistive technology can play in the lives of visually impaired patients. There is no doubt that sight loss continues to be a clear and present danger,...

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus: the essentials

Herpes zoster, also referred to as shingles, is a common infection most typically caused by the reactivation of varicella zoster virus that lies dormant (sometime for decades) in the dorsal root nerve ganglion following primary chickenpox infection [1]. In 10-20%...

Usher syndrome: an overview

Usher syndrome is the most common hereditary condition that affects both vision and hearing. It is an autosomal recessive condition characterised by retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss [1,2]. Usher syndrome is the cause of approximately 10% of...

My work experience with Great Ormond Street Hospital Young Persons’ Advisory Group for Research

For my school work experience I had the amazing opportunity to attend and work with the Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Young Persons’ Advisory Group for research (YPAG) (Figure 1). The GOSH YPAG is a group of young people aged...

Pegcetacoplan: A breakthrough treatment for dry age-related macular degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative condition affecting the macula, the part of the retina responsible for central vision. It is characterised by the presence of drusen and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) abnormalities in the absence of other macular...

In conversation with Marc Labetoulle

Following the hugely successful 10th Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) 2024 Conference which took place in Venice, Italy between 30 October – 2 November, we managed to have a quick Q&A with presenting attendee, Marc Labetoulle. Delivering his...

Headache: the clue is in the eyes

A worrying cause of headache is raised intracranial pressure (ICP). Papilloedema is a vital clue for accurate diagnosis and performing fundoscopy is essential in detecting this sign. The authors review the use of fundoscopy in their own district general hospital....

Understanding spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS): what do we know?

Introduction Formerly known as visual impairment and intracranial pressure syndrome (VIIP), space-related neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS) is defined by a collection of ophthalmic and neurological findings in astronauts after long-term spaceflight [1]. Changes in the eyeball, such as hyperopic shift, during...

Volunteer abroad: the Khmer Sight Foundation

A team of volunteers describe their experiences of working with the Khmer Sight Foundation in Cambodia. Cambodia has a population of 15 million people, of whom an estimated 300,000 are blind. This figure is increasing by 10,000 each year. Three-quarters...

A career in uveitis

As he retires from clinical practice, the author looks back on his long career in uveitis and how care of these patients has changed dramatically since his days as an undergraduate. My trainees and fellows are often bored by my...