Glaucoma can be divided into open-angle or closed-angle glaucoma. Closed-angle glaucoma has been described in a separate article. Open-angle glaucoma accounts for the majority (74%) of glaucoma cases worldwide. What is it? Chronic open angle glaucoma is a progressive and irreversible optic neuropathy. It is characterised by: To understand the causes, let’s look at the
Most common presenting symptoms: Flashing lights or new floaters Introduction A retinal tear is described as a full thickness defect in the retina, normally in the periphery of the retina. Retinal tears are a common presentation in the ophthalmology department and require urgent diagnosis to prevent the development of a retinal detachment and potentially complete
Poorly controlled hypertension results in target-organ damage. In the eye, it results in choroidopathy, retinopathy and optic neuropathy. This article will focus on hypertensive retinopathy, a relatively common presentation. The major risk factors for hypertensive retinopathy are the severity and duration of hypertension, and to a lesser extent people of African descent. Hypertension is defined
Ophthalmology training is becoming increasingly competitive every year and is one of the most competitive specialty training programmes in the UK, boasting a competition ratio of 9.91 applications per post in 2023.1 Therefore, getting a training post can seem like a daunting task, particularly given the demands of the portfolio and MSRA, and even more
Ophthalmology has long been the specialty with the most referrals and patient appointments in an outpatient environment, having had over 8.7 million clinic appointments scheduled in 2022-23 across the NHS.1 The volume of Ophthalmology referrals, both from primary care and from inpatient settings, continues to increase every year and poses a problem for the on
Overview Diabetes mellitus can cause both macrovascular (e.g., myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease, stroke) and microvascular (e.g., nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy) complications. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes and is one of the most common causes of blindness in working-aged adults globally. The risk of retinopathy varies depending on several factors including
The national selection process for ophthalmology is coordinated by NHS England (South West).(1) Ophthalmology is a competitive specialty, with 971 applications for 98 posts in 2023 (competition ratio 9.9).(2) As of 2023, applications are made through the ‘Oriel’ recruitment system. The selection process involves three stages: the Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA), the evidence folder/portfolio, and
Introduction The orbital septum is a fibrous connective tissue layer which divides orbital tissue from the eyelid, thus serving as a barrier against the spread of infection into the orbit. It extends from the orbital periosteum; is continuous with the tendon of levator palpebrae superioris superiorly and inserts into the tarsal plate inferiorly. Inflammation and
Introduction and Anatomy The eyelid is important for ensuring physical protection of the eye and maintaining lubrication over the surface of the eyeball. It is composed of five main layers (superficial to deep): skin and subcutaneous tissue, orbicularis oculi, tarsal plate, levator apparatus and conjunctiva. The meibomian glands are modified sebaceous glands that sit within
This article is the first of two articles about traumatic eye injuries. This article covers the relevant anatomy, history, examination and emergency sight-threatening pathologies to enable you to refer to ophthalmology specialists. The second is called Common Traumatic Pathologies and covers injuries that are important to identify but are less of an emergency. Anatomy Ocular
