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Don’t ignore the black lesion! It might be mucormycosis

Keeping mucormycosis infection in the foreground of your differential diagnosis, especially in those more vulnerable patients, will help save their lives if recognised and managed appropriately. Mucormycosis is a fulminant infection caused by the fungi of the family Mucoraceae. It...

Embryology in clinical practice

The fascinating world of embryology is both beautiful and practical. It is a home video of our evolutionary history through the ages from the single cell through to the life aquatic, the development of gut, limbs and brain, and most...

The embryology of the eye

Nobody claims to like embryology. At least nobody I know. It has been a neglected part of the curriculum since time immemorial and a vicious cycle occurs in which those with an incomplete understanding fail to appreciate the inherent beauty...

The power of the full blood count

Vishal Shah walks us through his thought process whilst highlighting the importance of routine investigations when dealing with unusual retinovascular presentations. Retinal changes can arise in anaemia, leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloproliferative and myelodysplastic syndrome. They are often the first manifestation of...

A case of congenital lacrimal fistula: an overview of diagnosis and management

Shivam Goyal and Kyaw Htun Aye describe the challenges of dealing with a rare case of congenitial lacrimal fistula.We present a case of a 19-month-old baby with a congenital abnormality. Congenital lacrimal fistulae are a spot diagnosis due to its...

The 2021-2022 ophthalmology ST1 application process

Harry Rosen updates us on what is involved in the current UK Ophthalmology Specialist Training (OST) programme application process. The process of applying to the UK Ophthalmology Specialist Training (OST) programme is constantly changing each year, adapting to the needs...

The value of hospital placements in ophthalmology in general practice specialty training

Pratik Bikkannavar provides insights into the potential benefits a placement in ophthalmology provides General Practice Specialty Trainees (GPSTs) and its valuable purpose for the wider ophthalmic community. Ophthalmic complaints are known to account for up to 1 in every 20...

Cataract surgery training in the independent sector

I am now most of the way through my ST3 year working in Plymouth, within the Peninsula Deanery. Before the start of the year, I was approached by one of my consultants who asked if I would like to carry...

How to write and publish a case report – tips and common pitfalls

Ophthalmology is an extremely popular specialty, with the competition ratio at ST1 level entry being 10:1 in 2023 [1]. Consequently, applicants are required to achieve higher portfolio scores to remain competitive. For those considering a career in ophthalmology, two points...

The ‘art’ of refraction – designing a refraction course

Learning how to refract requires theoretical knowledge, practice and determination. Refraction is a notoriously challenging skill to acquire and the competing demands on junior ophthalmologists can often be restrictive of the development of this core skill. To consolidate theory learnt...

Record rise in competition ratios for ophthalmology: What does this mean for the future of the ophthalmology training programme?

In this article, Adina Smith discusses factors likely to contribute to the record rise in competition ratios and the impact this may have on the future of OST. Ophthalmology specialty training (OST) is the fifth most competitive training programme in...