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Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome

Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS) is a rare neuro-mucocutaneous disorder which is defined by a triad of orofacial oedema, furrowing of the tongue, and recurrent episodes of facial nerve palsy [1]. Due to the rarity of the disease and inconsistent presentation, MRS...

Like a moth to AC flare: CMV-associated hypertensive anterior uveitis

Hypertensive anterior uveitis can present a diagnostic challenge to clinicians working in emergency eye departments. While prompt initial control of intraocular pressure (IOP) and inflammation is essential, elucidating the underlying aetiology is critical for long-term visual outcomes. When there is...

The Duke-Elder exam: A medical student’s head start into ophthalmology

The Duke-Elder exam is a specialist ophthalmology exam intended for medical students to sit during medical school. It is named after Sir Stewart Duke-Elder, a pioneering Scottish ophthalmologist who was active in the first half of the 20th Century by...

Should it be a mandatory requirement for medical students to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to attend clinical attachments?

The vast majority of medical students have positive attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine for themselves and patients, however, what about the small inevitable minority who resist it? Should they be prevented from attending clinical attachments in the NHS? It is...

‘Getting a head start’: ways medical students can boost their chances of entering ophthalmology training

Ophthalmology is one of the most competitive medical specialities in the UK, with 3.74 applicants per place in 2018 [1]. Given the competitive nature of this highly specialised field, medical students who are interested in pursuing a career in ophthalmology...

Preparing for the Duke Elder Award

The Duke Elder examination is an undergraduate ophthalmology exam, conducted by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) and undertaken by students with an interest in ophthalmology. It is a two-hour, 90-question, multiple choice exam with a broader curriculum than that...

How a calcified Soemmerring ring was removed from the vitreous cavity when the cutter and forceps failed to do so

Know’st thou the land where lemon-trees do bloom,And oranges like gold in leafy gloom; A gentle wind from deep blue heaven blows, The myrtle thick, and high the laurel grows? ‘Tis there! ‘tis there, O my beloved one, I with...

An arm and a leg

“It cost me an arm and a leg.” – Mr B told me. An arm and a leg to be seen by the famous Russian eye surgeon who said that everybody can be spectacle-free. He took Mr B’s money (roughly...

Preventing refractive surprises by real time biometry during cataract surgery

A few months ago a retired lady presented for second eye cataract surgery. I noted on the pre-op ward round that the outcome of her first eye’s surgery looked like a refractive surprise as her spherical equivalent in that eye...

On the wrong track

A 65-year-old very high myope lady presented with sudden blurred vision down to count fingers to her right eye after a short and sharp pain. She also described seeing a black swirly line and as all these symptoms were exactly...

External dacryocystorhinostomy in the management of childhood epiphora

Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction is thought to be caused by a membranous obstruction at the distal end of the nasolacrimal duct (NLD). Rarely, associated midline deformities in soft tissue and bony structures of the face are present in patients with...