Search

Glaucoma-NET: a novel way of improving glaucoma management in sub-Saharan Africa

Background Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide [1]. People with untreated glaucoma suffer from irreversible, progressive loss of sight. The disease is characterised by progressive loss of visual field, with pathological cupping of the optic disc...

Retinoblastoma management update (part 2): treatment, screening and surveillance, long-term follow-up and new developments

Retinoblastoma treatment requires significant multidisciplinary input, but early detection through raising awareness remains key to improving outcomes. In the second article of a two-part series, Manoj Parulekar discusses retinoblastoma management, screening and research. This article has been published in two...

Retinoblastoma management update (part 1): clinical features, diagnosis and genetics

The first of a two part series, this article will discuss the clinical features, diagnosis and genetic aspects of retinoblastoma. Manoj Parulekar is based at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, one of the two designated national retinoblastoma and paediatric ocular oncology treatment...

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus: a clinician’s perspective

Introduction Herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles, is caused by the reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV). The term herpes is derived from a Greek work, herpein, which means ‘creeping’ and the word zoster means a belt or a girdle...

Addressing childhood blindness in sub-Saharan Africa

In this article, the authors explore paediatric ophthalmology subspecialist fellowship training in African nations south of the Sahara. Until recently, most African ophthalmologists who wished to pursue a subspecialty ophthalmology training fellowship had to go abroad. There is a huge...

It’s not all about ARED - Time for a pragmatic approach to nutrition for eye health?

Advances in treatment for retinal diseases involving neovascularisation have undoubtedly changed the future of eye care across the UK for the better, but also created great challenges for service delivery in ophthalmology, particularly within the NHS. Some statistics are starting...

Does vitrectomy increase the risk of glaucoma? A retrospective review from a UK hospital

The authors investigate what proportion of patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy subsequently developed ocular hypertension or a diagnosis of glaucoma. A systematic review carried out in 2017 including seven studies found that there is evidence that pars plana vitrectomy (PPV)...

The sexist lens addressing cataract-induced blindness in women

Ninety percent of the world’s blind population resides in low-income, developing countries [1]. The primary cause of their blindness is cataract, a condition that is easily treatable and unnecessary. A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s lens, often resulting...

Assessing the effectiveness of undergraduate ophthalmic assessments in the UK: A literature review

During 2008–2009, 300,000 patients presented to hospital emergency departments in the UK with eye conditions. This rose by nearly 200,000 over the next decade. As the population ages, the prevalence of eye disease increases [1,2]. However, the stake ophthalmology holds...

Managing an outreach eye service… 8000 miles away!

In 1997, Paul Rosen, a relatively newly appointed consultant surgeon to the Oxford Eye Hospital, was approached by Richard Davies, a GP in Stanley, Falkland Islands, to assist in the provision and management of the Falkland Islands eye surgery service....

Prognostic AI for diabetic retinopathy: Towards the first prospective trial in the UK

Artificial intelligence (AI) is frequently described as having the capacity to dramatically change and improve healthcare. One extensively studied application of AI in ophthalmology involves the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy (DR) or diabetic maculopathy (DM) using retinal imaging. An emerging...