Cataract remains the world's leading cause of blindness. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 94 million people live with vision impairment attributable to cataract, yet one in two people globally who require cataract surgery cannot access it. This does not resemble a disease problem but a systems problem, and surgical technique sits at its centre.
Preparation for the FRCOphth Part 1 (Part 1) examination requires mastery of a broad syllabus alongside the ability to apply knowledge efficiently under examination conditions. FRCOphth Part 1: 400 SBAs and CRQs authored by Drs Nikki Hall and Robert Peden was developed in response to these demands, with an explicit focus on question-based learning as a high-yield revision strategy. The second edition refines this approach further, presenting a structured and portable question bank designed to support candidates in consolidating knowledge, identifying gaps, and developing examination technique.
The use of ultrasound in medical imaging dates back to the 1950’s when early experiments were conducted using modified radar equipment. It was first used in obstetrics and then expanded to other medical specialties. Rapid advances in technology have now established ultrasound as an essential tool across medicine. It is now routinely used in trauma assessment, examining the structure and function of the heart (echocardiograms) and monitoring foetal development.
Smartphone-based fundus imaging (SBFI) has emerged as a portable, user-friendly, and low-cost alternative. These devices leverage the high-resolution sensors and processing power of modern smartphones, often costing a fraction of traditional equipment—sometimes under $700 for basic adapters.
In the UK, over two million people live with sight loss, 59% of whom are aged 75 or over. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of people with sight loss in the UK will double, reaching over four million (2). Notably, nearly 60% of these cases are attributed to cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors – both of which are readily treated through corrective lenses or cataract surgery. Despite this, visual assessments are often overlooked in the management of older adults presenting with falls. This article explores the reasons behind this oversight, outlines a practical approach to assessing vision, and highlights the benefits of integrating visual assessments into routine clinical care.
Many commonly prescribed medications doctors can adversely affect the eye. These effects range from mild and reversible symptoms, such as dryness and blurred vision, to severe and potentially irreversible conditions including optic neuropathy and retinopathies. Early recognition of medication-related ocular pathology is essential for healthcare professionals, as timely intervention can mitigate vision loss. This review outlines frequently prescribed medications and their associated ocular adverse effects.
Wearables and consumer-grade devices are shifting “monitoring” from episodic clinic snapshots to higher-frequency, patient-driven data. The opportunity is real - but the evidence base is uneven, and implementation succeeds or fails on workflow: what triggers review, how false alarms are handled, and whether the pathway can deliver timely confirmation and treatment.
Cancer-associated retinopathy (CAR) is a paraneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy in which an immune response generated against tumour antigens cross-reacts with retinal antigens, resulting in subacute retinal dysfunction that is often bilateral and may occur with minimal intraocular inflammation (or a clinically quiet eye). In a clinically meaningful proportion of patients, visual symptoms can precede the diagnosis of the underlying malignancy, making CAR a potential ophthalmic “sentinel” presentation of occult cancer.
Glaucoma is the subspecialty where “patient voice platforms” arguably deliver the greatest real-world impact because the clinical challenge is less about short-term decisional points and more about sustained behaviour over years: attending lifelong monitoring, instilling drops correctly, persisting with treatment despite limited symptoms, and navigating escalation to laser or surgery. Those are precisely the domains where organised patient communities, education hubs, and adherence support add value. This is particularly relevant in the context of persistent global vision impairment burden and health system emphasis on people-centred eye care, which explicitly positions community engagement and empowerment as part of delivery, not an optional adjunct.
The global ophthalmology community is not short of effective interventions; it is short of equitable delivery. The Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health positioned eye health as integral to universal health coverage (UHC), arguing that progress depends on shifting from vertical, disease-specific activity to health-system strengthening with explicit attention to equity and quality. The WHO World report on vision similarly frames the challenge as one of access, affordability, quality, and people-centred systems rather than a lack of clinical solutions.