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Spotlight: The Community Eye Health Journal

In many low-income settings, where vision loss is greatest, eyecare is hampered by shortages in trained health workers. In sub-Saharan Africa, there are fewer than five ophthalmologists per million population, compared to over 70 per million in high-income countries. Eyecare...

Retinoblastoma – the challenges of a rare cancer and the role of international partnerships

Introduction: the global challenge The global burden of retinoblastoma (Rb) is one in 15,000-18,000 live births, which equates to 8000 new cases worldwide each year. The global disparities in Rb outcome represent a paradigm of health inequality worldwide [1]. In...

Progress for a more sustainable practice in ophthalmology

Climate change is widely considered to be the greatest threat to health in the 21st century and is accompanied by other environmental considerations such as air and water pollution that impact on human health [1,2]. These problems are, in no...

A comparison of light sources in retinal imaging

Before starting to talk about the light sources present in retinal imaging, it is necessary to start from the base: the light. Light is an electromagnetic wave whose smallest part is the photon (or quantum of light). A high frequency...

Retinoblastoma, CureAll and the role of global clinical, capacity strengthening and research networks

Retinoblastoma (Rb), a rare childhood eye cancer, presents a particularly compelling example of how global health partnerships can operate at the intersection of different medical disciplines, in this case: ophthalmology, oncology and public health. This article places the work of...

Dropless cataract surgery

Dropless cataract surgery (DCS) describes the complete provision of anti-inflammatory and antibiotic prophylaxis intraoperatively. This eliminates the need for postoperative eyedrops to be self-administered by the patient and thus is also known as ‘dropless after cataract surgery’ (DACS) (n.b. this...

Astigmatism correction in cataract surgery: Why are we still hesitating?

Toric spectacle lenses were first described in 1847 by George Biddell Airy, and their adoption was, presumably, gradual at that time. Today, correction of astigmatism with glasses is routine. In a recent survey, 87.2% of spectacle prescriptions contained at least...

Breakthroughs in the genetics of angle-closure glaucoma

Angle closure glaucoma (ACG) is not widely known to be a familial condition, yet the recent explosion of genetic data and large scale genome wide investigations have confirmed at least 13 genetic loci associated with ACG [1], and provided some...

Intraocular lens technology to deliver enhanced optical performance after cataract refractive surgery

Modern cataract surgery aims to provide patients with the best possible visual outcome with the least dependence on spectacles and minimal or no complications and to treat both cataract and refractive errors with a single procedure. Phacoemulsification is the standard...