Jibran Riaz
Abstract
This personal reflection explores how webinar-based learning through Cybersight contributed to my professional development in ophthalmology between June 2024 and May 2025. Covering clinical topics such as keratoconus, refraction, glaucoma diagnostics, and dry eye disease, these sessions offered not only exam-aligned knowledge but also broader insights into how ophthalmology is practised globally. As a doctor preparing for specialty training, I found this form of self-directed learning instrumental in shaping my understanding, clinical reasoning, and subspecialty interests.
Learning in Transition
As an aspiring ophthalmologist preparing for specialty training, I’ve come to appreciate how much valuable learning happens outside traditional clinical environments. Between June 2024 and May 2025, I engaged with a series of Cybersight webinars hosted by Orbis International, covering key topics including keratoconus, glaucoma, dry eye disease, and refraction techniques. These sessions not only deepened my clinical knowledge but also sharpened my decision-making and strengthened my commitment to the specialty.
Clinical Reflections by Topic
Keratoconus (June 2024 – Dr. Carlos Gordillo)
One of the earliest sessions I attended was Keratoconus Worldwide: Understanding the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Alternatives by Dr. Carlos Gordillo. At the time, I was still early in my ophthalmology journey, and this webinar helped build a foundational understanding of keratoconus as a progressive ectatic disorder. It introduced me to the clinical utility of corneal topography and biomechanical indices — tools I had not previously encountered in detail. I was especially struck by Dr. Gordillo’s emphasis on stage-specific management, where interventions such as intracorneal ring segments (PMMA/CAIRS), cross-linking, or grafting are chosen based on both disease progression and individual patient profiles. This session gave me a clearer sense of how topographic imaging translates into real-world decision-making — a skill I now aim to develop further in clinical training.
Refraction (February 2025 – Caroline Marhefka OD)
In February 2025, I attended Refraction in the Real World: Tips and Tricks for Refracting your Patients, led by Caroline Marhefka OD, while preparing for the Refraction Certificate exam. This webinar broke down subjective refraction and retinoscopy into clinically relevant steps, making them easier to apply. A key takeaway was her approach to over-minusing:
“If you’re unsure, fog the patient and step down in +0.25 D increments.”
This practical advice helped reinforce the need for subtle adjustments when managing accommodation and patient fatigue. Although my exam was eventually postponed due to external factors, the clarity this session brought to my technique translated into more confident patient assessments in clinical settings.
Glaucoma (April 2025 – Global Panel Moderated by Dr. Malik Kahook)
This global panel discussion on glaucoma diagnostics offered an invaluable look at the diversity of clinical practice around the world. Specialists from South Africa, India, and Mexico shared insights on how they navigate diagnostic challenges with varying access to visual field testing, optic nerve imaging, and IOP monitoring. What stood out to me was how clinical reasoning adapts when resources are constrained. It also made me more aware of the importance of continuity, pattern recognition, and longitudinal data interpretation in glaucoma management.
Dry Eye Disease (May 2025 – Dr. Lakshmi Kuniyal)
Dr. Lakshmi Kuniyal’s session on How to Approach a Patient with Dry Eye helped demystify a condition I had previously underestimated. Her analogy of evaporation, osmolarity, and inflammation as the three corners of the tear-film puzzle made the disease mechanism both accessible and memorable. The session also introduced a structured approach to treatment escalation, including the thoughtful use of immunomodulators in refractory cases. These insights helped shift my perception of dry eye from a routine symptom to a multifaceted clinical challenge requiring tailored management.
Broader Educational Value
Across all the sessions I attended, several themes stood out: the importance of adapting clinical care to patient and resource contexts; the power of structured diagnostic thinking; and the necessity of continuous, reflective learning. These webinars didn’t just supplement my exam preparation — they contributed to a shift in how I think clinically and how I see myself growing as a future ophthalmologist.
The sessions also sparked a deeper interest in corneal and glaucomatous disease, and they’ve motivated me to remain engaged with digital learning long after exams are done. They reminded me that lifelong learning is not just an expectation in medicine — it’s a core part of professional identity.
Conclusion
Webinar-based learning, when well-structured and clinically anchored, can be a transformative tool in early ophthalmic education. My experience with Cybersight has shown that even as a doctor not yet in formal training, one can develop meaningful insight, deepen clinical reasoning, and cultivate subspecialty interests. These sessions laid an intellectual foundation I hope to continue building on throughout my training.