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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...

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...

Second sight: Ian McKinley

I have always been captivated by a true-life story demonstrating the human spirit of triumph over adversity. For me, one of the most memorable sportsmen overcoming an injury has always been the mountaineer Joe Simpson and his tale of survival...

How do you solve the problem of trachoma in Ethiopia?

Background Trachoma is one of the oldest diseases known to humankind and the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Spread by the bacterium chlamydia trachomatis, it is transmitted through contact with the eyes, eyelids and nose of those infected. The...

Bionic eyes: deciphering the neural circuitry of vision restoration

As the boundaries between technology and biology blur, retinal prosthetics, often dubbed ‘bionic eyes’, present a ground-breaking paradigm shift in addressing blindness. This article delves into the captivating scientific intricacies of these neural interfaces, exploring their mechanisms of action, current...

The COVID-19 ‘frontlines’: a foundation doctor’s perspective

Staring through the fragmented stained glass of the Virgin Mary and her assorted angels, I reflected on the strangeness of the workplace I now found myself working in and the irony of a workforce now working together more enthusiastically than...

Ophthalmology in ancient india, Sushruta’s time and the modern era

While reading an article related to the history of Indian ophthalmology, I came across this description of a surgical procedure: “The doctor warmed the patient’s eye with the breath of his mouth. He rubbed the closed eye of the patient...

In conversation with John Forrester

What made you choose ophthalmology as a career and how did your interest in academia develop? During Medical School at Glasgow University, I was getting progressively disillusioned with the career options while my colleagues and friends all seemed to quickly...