News & Views

The safety of cataract surgery in the UK is continuing to improve, results from the latest National Ophthalmology Database (NOD) audit – published today – show. Data gathered from 177 centres over a 12-month period to 31 March 2023 indicate that fewer than 1 in 200 patients experience substantial reduction in vision following cataract surgery. The major complication of surgery (posterior capsule rupture or PCR) is occurring in less than 1% of operations.

The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme is recruiting for a National Clinical Lead to focus on the improvement of ophthalmology services across England. 

The prestigious Zakarian Awards, which promote the value of research for all, are now open for submissions. Jointly funded by the College and Fight for Sight/Vision Foundation these awards are for early-career ophthalmologists to gain experience and skills by undertaking ophthalmic and vision research, which could lead onto further research or funding opportunities. Three ophthalmologists will receive a grant of up to £25,000 to conduct research over a 12-month period.

The Ophthalmological Surveillance Unit (BOSU), which runs the world’s only nationwide surveillance unit for epidemiological research into rare eye conditions, is being boosted by a new by a new grant from Fight for Sight that will enable its continuing support for UK research into rare eye disorders. Launched today, on Rare Disease Day, the funding from eye research charity Fight for Sight of £204,375, matched by the College, will support the BOSU for the next five years.

Last month, for the first time since it went digital, the British Ophthalmological Surveillance Unit (BOSU) had a response rate of over 50%, and 31 positive case reports for the deterioration of sight following delay and sympathetic ophthalmia studies. We encourage all ophthalmologists in the UK to take part in BOSU. It’s easy to do and you’ll be contributing to this unique resource that advances knowledge and improvement of the prevention, treatment and service planning of these disorders.

To support the launch of our new digital reporting system and the expansion of the surveillance system to include trainees for the first time the BOSU is offering a research bursary of £6000 to support an ophthalmologist in training to undertake an epidemiological study of a rare eye condition through the British Ophthalmological Surveillance Unit.

RCOphth would like to congratulate Dr Ian MacCormick, clinical lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, and his senior author Simon Harding from the University of Liverpool, for winning the Ulverscroft David Owen prize for the best-published paper titled: “How does blood-retinal barrier breakdown relate to death and disability in pediatric cerebral malaria?”