Delwar Hussain
I attended the Edinburgh FOCUS Foundation Ophthalmology Course in Edinburgh a few weeks ago. As an FY3 doctor aiming to enter ophthalmology training, I wanted a course that would translate quickly into confidence with daily ophthalmic assessment and common acute presentations. The structured course delivered: concise teaching followed by lots of supported practice, with repeated opportunities to apply skills to cases. The course fee was £500.
Course structure and content
Day 1: Core examination skills
Day 1 built the foundations in a systematic way: clinical anatomy followed by structured approaches to visual acuity, colour vision and visual fields, then practical sessions that reinforced technique and common pitfalls. The afternoon moved through pupil examination, ocular motility, ophthalmoscopy (with extended practice on real patients), and slit lamp examination with anterior segment cases.
This format worked well for a beginner learner: the “why” was taught briefly, but the course emphasised the “how” and provided enough repetition to start forming reliable habits.
A welcome addition on day 1 was the complimentary course dinner in the evening, which created space for informal networking with other doctors on a similar path.
Day 2: Acute ophthalmology and practical procedures
Day 2 focused on common and time-critical presentations: ophthalmic history taking & loss of vision, acute red eye (including a problem based learning session), and practical, clinically relevant topics. These topics included lid abnormalities, common ophthalmic drugs as well as demonstrations of applanation tonometry.
One of the most practically useful stations for an FY doctor was the corneal foreign body practical, although I personally found this challenging as I’m currently working on controlling hand tremor with fine motor tasks. Despite being difficult, it was still valuable because it highlighted the skill components I need to isolate and practise (positioning, stabilisation, and controlled movements) rather than just “trying harder” during the task.
Highlights
Paediatric ophthalmic emergencies
The most memorable lecture for me was paediatric ophthalmic emergencies. This was an area I realised had been barely covered in my undergraduate training. The session therefore felt disproportionately valuable: it filled a genuine gap and gave a clearer framework for recognising red flags, prioritising assessment and understanding what needs urgent escalation.
The “confidence-building” effect
Across the weekend, the teaching consistently supported the transition from theoretical familiarity to practical competence. This was particularly the case for slit lamp examination, ophthalmoscopy, and basic acute assessment.
Who is this course for?
Based on the level and delivery, I would recommend Edinburgh FOCUS to:
- Foundation doctors considering ophthalmology, especially before a taster week or first rotation.
- IMT/GPST/ED trainees who want a structured introduction to common ophthalmic problems.
- Aspiring ophthalmology applicants who want credible, practical skills development rather than purely lecture based learning.
Practical tips if you’re going
- Treat it as a hands-on course: the return on investment is in practice and feedback rather than note-taking.
- If you find procedures difficult (as I did with corneal foreign bodies), use the course to identify specific micro skills to practise afterwards (coordination, stabilisation, ergonomics).
- Don’t skip the dinner. It’s a low pressure way to meet others interested in training.
Overall impression
Overall, Edinburgh FOCUS was a organised, high yield weekend that prioritised practical ophthalmology. For me as an FY3, it strengthened core examination skills and highlighted areas for further deliberate practice (such as fine motor procedural work), while also providing unexpectedly valuable teaching in paediatric emergencies, an area underrepresented in my prior training.