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Management of proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of blindness in the working-age population. Due to the worsening global epidemic of diabetes, the incidence of morbidity caused by the disease is set to increase [1]. The prevalence of diabetes in the UK...

The Eye Health Network – an ‘optometry-first’ approach to eye care

Historically, in NHS Grampian, ophthalmology and optometry worked separately, with even the process of optometry referral to hospital occurring only at the behest of the patient’s general practitioner (GP). Criteria for referral were not discussed and feedback after referral was...

Eyecare education in times of COVID-19

A collaboration between the German Committee for the Prevention of Blindness (DKVB), Rukwa regional government in Tanzania and the University of St Andrews Global Health Team successfully delivered a hybrid teaching programme for ophthalmic nurses in Sumbawanga, south west Tanzania,...

Sustainability in eyecare: Intraocular gases and the climate emergency

In 2020 the NHS became the first national health system to commit to delivering ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2040. The author investigates how the impact of ophthalmic surgery can be reduced. Medical gases have been used in ophthalmic surgery...

FAQs about cerebral visual impairment (CVI): identifying and helping those affected

Cerebral visual impairment is common in both adults and children, yet the diagnosis can easily be missed unless one is tuned into the presenting features. This article provides a succinct introduction to this important topic. What is vision? Vision is...

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...

‘Phaco-plus’ procedures at forefront of modern glaucoma management

Glaucoma and cataract increasingly present as a ‘two-in-one’ surgical opportunity. In the UK, new modelling suggests ~1 million adults aged ≥40 may currently have glaucoma, with a projected rise to ~1.6 million by 2060 as the population ages and demographics...

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...

Cutting-edge practice in glaucoma care: what, how and why?

More effective treatments and drug delivery modalities, implantable minimally invasive glaucoma surgical (MIGS) devices, as well as accelerating clinical research programmes, will transform the surgical and clinical management of glaucoma in the near future. There is also an ever-greater emphasis...

Resurfacing the ocular surface

The ocular surface (OS) is an anatomical and functional unit made of the tear film, the conjunctival, limbal and corneal epithelium, the lacrimal, mucous and meibomian glands and the lids and blink reflex. The tear film is composed of a...