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Ophthalmology in the developing world

After the second year of medical school, I spent my summer vacation working as a volunteer for a small Italian non-government organisation (NGO), named HEALTH-AID. As part of my volunteering experience, I joined a team of European doctors, medical students...

Measuring patient-reported outcomes after refractive surgery to assess patient satisfaction

Patient-reported outcomes enable surgeons to evaluate patients’ symptoms and satisfaction after laser vision correction. The great majority of patients are pleased with their outcomes from laser vision correction, whether it is with photorefractive keratectomy, laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK), or small...

Preoperative povidone iodine: weighing the risks

Following on from our recent online survey, the authors examine the potential risks and benefits of diluting the concentration preoperative povidone iodine. Povidone iodine (PI) is an iodophore that has an established use as a broad-spectrum antiseptic, mainly for the...

The implementation of postoperative day 1 vitrectomy telephone follow-up consultations

In this pre-COVID-19 study, the authors argue that some follow-up consultations can be done by telephone without compromising patient safety. Thirty years ago, a study by Isernhagen et al. [1] found that 52% of patients required some form of unexpected...

My top five: Elective grants for an ophthalmology elective for a medical student surviving in a cost-of-living crisis

In a time where cost of living is significantly increasing, and the student NHS bursary is remaining stagnant, funding a medical elective is becoming increasingly more challenging for medical students. Surveys have shown that medical students typically get two to...

Mindfulness and cataract surgery experience in ophthalmology doctors in training

Mindfulness can be described as the state in which one is to be fully present in the moment, which draws parallels with surgery. The origins of mindfulness stem from ancient Buddhist traditions, and its utilisation in recent times in the...

Deliberate darkness: The systematic weaponisation of blinding in global protests

As eyecare professionals, we spend our entire professional lives fighting to preserve light. We train to master the delicate microscopic topography of the cornea, the retina and the optic nerve, all with the objective of saving our patients from the...

Ophthalmic entrepreneurship: Reflections from an ophthalmic surgeon

For many ophthalmic trainees and newly appointed consultants, the idea of medical entrepreneurship can feel distant and sometimes uncomfortable. We are trained in a profession centred on patient care, ethics and service. The word entrepreneur, by contrast, often brings to...

Ask not what you can do for Glaucoma UK, but what Glaucoma UK can do for you

From patient information and professional training to research funding and participant recruitment, Glaucoma UK offers a wide range of support for everyone working in glaucoma care. You may already know Glaucoma UK as a source of information and support for...