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Scholarships, awards and prizes

Perhaps one of the less well-known benefits of being a member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) is access to the range of scholarships, awards and prizes that we offer. Many of you will be aware of the annual...

Getting started in ophthalmology: Advice for new doctors

Starting your first rotation in ophthalmology is exciting and a little daunting. As the start date approaches, the nerves may start to creep in. What’s expected of me? How much ophthalmology am I supposed to know? How will the on-calls...

Reflections as an international trainee

I had the privilege of undertaking two glaucoma fellowships in the UK – first at the St Paul’s Eye Unit in Liverpool (2022–23), followed by a second year at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London (2023–24). Many of my seniors had...

Preparing to sit the FRCOphth Part 1 as a new FY1: A modern financial, educational and AI-enhanced study guide

One week into my first year as a doctor, buried under a mountain of ward jobs, night shifts and the sheer vertical learning curve of FY1, I decided to challenge myself further: I booked the FRCOphth Part 1 exam. The...

Immunoglobulin G4-related ophthalmic disease – what is it? (Part 1)

Part 1: Epidemiology, classification, radiology, histopathology and associations (see Part 2 here) In this two-part series, Li Yen Goh reviews IgG4 disease and reminds us of diagnostic challenges faced. Introduction Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) disease is a recently recognised idiopathic systemic...

Vitreous loss fire drills – ophthalmic simulation improves trainee surgical competence and confidence with posterior capsule rupture scenarios

Ophthalmic trainees have reported limited exposure and low confidence regarding the management of cataract complications such as posterior capsule rupture (PCR) / vitreous loss (VL). This report evaluates the impact of a simulation-based educational training event on these concerns. Introduction...

Traumatic injuries from foam Nerf bullets

Background Three patients are presented in this case report: an adult and two children which were subjected to ocular injuries from Nerf gun bullets. Generally, Nerf guns are considered safer than airsoft guns. While there are many papers on airsoft...

Diabetic Macular Oedema

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that affects the metabolism of all three categories of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. This condition is characterised by chronic hyperglycaemia [1]. This can cause end organ damage. The estimated worldwide diabetes prevalence for 2010...

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...