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Aug/Sep 2014 Quiz 2

History A 27-year-old man presented to the emergency department with blurred vision and central scotoma in the right eye (RE) over the previous weeks. He had no relevant medical history and he was not on any current medication. However, he...

Traumatic optic neuropathy

In neuro-ophthalmology we get asked a lot about management of patients who suffered significant trauma and presented with loss of vision secondary to presumed traumatic optic neuropathy (TON). TON happens usually in the context of significant craniofacial trauma. The incidence...

How to nearly (but not quite) get into ST1 ophthalmology training – some reflections

Ophthalmology is often considered to be an elite, highly competitive specialty, with little room for failure. Candidates and trainees tend to cultivate a certain urbane and confident style, and the bottleneck at ST1 can feel rather intense. The majority of...

Surgical strategies to manage incomitant strabismus in adults

Incomitant vertical and / or horizontal strabismus is a challenging presentation. Patients are usually symptomatic as the onset is either sudden so they haven’t developed any coping mechanisms or very complex so that any coping mechanisms will not cover all...

Commonest mistakes during the refraction certificate exam

Ophthalmology specialty trainees are required to pass the refraction certificate exam within the first two years of training. If one passes this exam before entering a training programme, this can add two points to the portfolio during applications. In this...

Just sign here: the intricacies of consent in the post-Montgomery era

The consent process is a vital part of the patient pathway and is far more than just getting the patient to sign on the dotted line. In my work in litigation I often see issues around informed consent resulting in...

High-stakes scenarios in retinal vein occlusion: A survey of medico-legal implications

Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is the second most common retinal vascular disease after diabetic retinopathy, and its clinical complexity often intersects with medico-legal scrutiny [1]. Missteps in timely diagnosis, inadequate follow-up or poor documentation can lead to patient harm...

Patient changes eye colour permanently and has brighter and whiter looking eyes

In this new series, Simerdip Kaur takes a look at the latest ophthalmology-related news stories and asks which are scientific reality and which are ‘fake news’. Headline: Patient changes eye colour permanently and has brighter and whiter looking eyes If...

Acute dellen formation post trauma

Corneal dellen are saucer-like thinnings, usually of the peripheral cornea [1]. Dellen formation is thought to be related to localised tear film instability [2], specifically the absence of the mucin component of the tear film. Without the mucin layer, dry...

An unusual case of acute retinal necrosis

Case report A 40-year-old Caucasian male presented with a four-day history of redness and progressive painless reduction of vision in the left eye. His visual acuities were 6/4 in the right and 6/36 in the left. The left eye showed...

A step-by-step approach to the diagnosis and management of Sands of Sahara Syndrome

Sands of Sahara syndrome (diffuse lamellar keratitis) is a rare postoperative complication of Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Its estimated prevalence is reported to be 2-4% among LASIK cases [1], despite that, it is more likely to be encountered by...

Lockdown and eye health – a case of accommodative spasm

A 25-year-old male presented to the eye casualty with a one-day history of sudden onset worsening vision. More specifically, he noted his vision was more blurred than usual and this was more exaggerated for near-work than for distance-work. He was...