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Emerging developments in dry eye

An estimated 344 million people worldwide suffer from dry eye [1]. This chronic syndrome is characterised by a vicious cycle of tear film hyperosmolarity, tear instability and corneal stress, leading to increased friction, inflammation, ocular surface damage and decreased visual...

An update on idiopathic intracranial hypertension

The incidence of Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is increasing, likely in line with the worldwide epidemic of obesity. To date, there have been revisions in the terminology used and diagnostic criteria for IIH; these recognise the need to exclude secondary...

The past and the future for paediatric ophthalmology

The past 25 years have seen remarkable advances in clinical eye care for children in the UK. This has led to both improved outcomes and better patient and family experiences. There have been substantial changes to patient pathways, major advances...

Coming to terms with AI

A machine might be called intelligent if its response to questions could convince a person that it was human, a test proposed by Alan Turing in 1950 [1]. The author considers potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) using machine learning...

Working smarter not harder: How to transform eyecare delivery in the United Kingdom (part 1)

Are we doing enough to meet the current demands on ophthalmic services? In part one of a two-part series (see Part 2 here), Rosalind Harrison takes a look at how efficiency has been improved in eyecare services in the US....

Could the sclera be key to glaucoma?

The glaucomas are a group of conditions characterised by optic neuropathy and associated visual field defects. Of these, chronic open-angle glaucoma (COAG) – diagnosed on the basis of progressive structural changes to the optic nerve head (ONH) and nerve fibre...

Surgical options for the treatment of hyperopia

The modern refractive surgeon has a variety of options available to treat patients with hyperopia who wish to be independent of spectacles and contact lenses. Unlike in low myopia where presbyopic patients may have the ability to see well for...

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...

Blinking blepharitis has a lot to answer for…

Never ignore the small things’…someone once said. There is no doubt blepharitis is one of the most common eye conditions encountered daily, but with the typical pressures of a busy outpatient department, the management of more obvious, sight-threatening conditions necessarily...