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Looking on the brightside: Lord David Blunkett

“I can hear people smile” As a young adult in the 1980s and 1990s I gradually became more politically informed with occasional forays into BBC’s Question Time. In doing so, I learnt of the rise of politician David Blunkett, a...

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,...

A closer look at the new wave of glaucoma surgery – radical or old school?

Glaucoma is a challenging condition to treat because the exact pathophysiology remains unclear and the only readily modifiable factor is the intraocular pressure (IOP). Additionally, most glaucoma patients are completely asymptomatic, yet are often subjected to lifelong medical therapy. The...

A paradigm shift in the way we approach cataract surgery

Cataract surgery is the most common elective surgical procedure in the UK [1], with in the region of 350,000 cases being conducted each year. With an ageing population, this figure will only continue to rise over time. Cataract surgery is...

Retinopathy of prematurity treatment in the South West of England: long-term outcomes 1997-2008

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a condition that affects the developing retinal vascular system of pre-term babies. If left untreated, ROP can lead to severe visual impairment. The severe visual impairment caused by untreated ROP can be prevented by screening...

Neovascular AMD: fresh recommendations underline standards of best practice

The management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) has advanced dramatically over the past seven years, with the introduction of targeted new therapies that successfully maintain or improve vision in a majority of affected individuals. It’s a fast moving field,...

Emerging therapies for geographic atrophy: complement inhibitors show potential to slow progression and preserve RPE and photoreceptor integrity

Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) characterised by progressive, irreversible loss of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors and is estimated to account for approximately 10% of AMD-related blindness [1-4]. The Age-Related Eye...

Sensitive cilia – eyelashes in health and disease

In health our eyelashes protect the eyes, but in disease they can disfigure, impair quality of life and threaten vision. In this review the authors discuss aspects of lashes that are relevant to all professionals working near the eyes and...