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Simplified Ophthalmic Statistics (SOS) Part 1: An introduction to data – how do we classify it and why does it matter?

Introductory statistics courses often start by explaining how data can be classified in different ways. What is not always clear is why you would need to know this. Catey Bunce and Tafadzwa Young-Zvandasara explain. The term data can be applied...

Cornea teaching techniques: one cornea donor tissue for two purposes

There is a national shortage in the UK in corneal graft material [1,2]. The majority (69%) of corneal transplants in the UK are partial thickness, with 35% being Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) [2]. During the preparation of the donor...

How good does my vision have to be to drive this thing? Visual standards for various occupations

We can all picture that moment in clinic: you are about to tell someone that they’re no longer legally able to drive, ready to deploy our ‘breaking bad news’ techniques. For some patients this may have been expected, or they...

A closed angle seldom comes alone

Case report An 89-year-old lady with dementia was referred to me out of hours by her GP with a few days history of an angry looking left eye for suspected elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). I discovered that this lady first...

Simulation in ophthalmology: a pedagogic viewpoint

The advent of simulation technology has enhanced modern medical training. The first utilisation of simulation was in 1929 where Edward Link used this concept to develop a mechanical flight simulator [1]. Industries such as aviation, nuclear power and the military...

A log in the eye

"My friend wanted to show how far he could throw that log. So, he helicoptered it over his head, faster and faster and when he let go, it hit my eye at full speed,” a young lady of 19 years...

Take this waltz

My last weekend on-call was the busiest I can remember for a very long time. We were just completely swamped with patients. The weather was not too good that Saturday and it felt like every second inhabitant of our ocean...

“I can’t see nothing out of that eye, you ....!”

This is exactly the call you don’t want to receive at 11 at night. The A&E colleague phoned to inform me about a young man who was kicked several times in the face and could not see out of one...

Fusarium keratitis in a patient with alcohol dependence

Treatment of fungal keratitis secondary to the Fusarium species remains a challenge. Although relatively more common in warmer climates, this corneal infection is rare in the UK. Most cases have been reported in farmers and are often preceded by trauma....

Making the most of your foundation year rotation in ophthalmology

Ophthalmology continues to be a highly desirable speciality in the UK; however, medical students usually encounter only minimal exposure, generally ranging from one to two weeks, during their studies [1]. Nevertheless, eye-related conditions represent a considerable share of presentations in...