Author: Christine Ferguson

Glaucoma is best defined as death of the optic nerve head (ONH) or more technically, progressive optic neuropathy.  The optic nerve is the nerve that travels into the back of the eye and goes across the retinal surface.  The ONH allows the signals from the retina to be taken back to the brain. There are …

This article aims to highlight all the most important things to look for when trying to diagnose cranial muscle palsies. There are 14 cranial nerves in the brain.  However, there are only three that supply the eye muscles.  They include: Cranial nerve 3 – Called the Oculomotor Nerve and comes off the brain stem Cranial …

  A cataract is simply defined as a haze or clouding of the natural crystalline lens of the eye.  They are very common and in the western world, are the most common cause of vision loss in the over 40s. The natural crystalline lens mainly consists of water and protein. It is made up of …

5% of all patients we see will have a Binocular Vision Anomaly. It is important we are properly screening for it and not skimming over it. First step Observe the patient, head tilt? Walking funny? Rule out pathology – check the pupils, ophthalmoscopy and visual field defects General history and symptoms, medications? Family history of …

This is the bread and butter of what we do and can get pretty monotonous at times. However, corners should never be cut and an examination should be as thorough as possible. First step: History and Symptoms Presenting symptoms can tell you more than the actual examination sometimes, do not skim over the questions here! …

Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine that deals with the health of the eye. There are many careers within the field of Ophthalmology. These range from Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Orthoptists, Ophthalmic nurses and Dispensing Opticians. Ophthalmologists are medically trained Doctors who have specialised in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases. They work primarily within the …

Contact lens fitting for standard patient(with no corneal ectasia or other corneal conditions) I have worked in many places where the expected standards of CL fittings have not been met. Within the continually evolving contact lens world it is easy to become both complacent and outdated. The following article outlines the necessary information that should …

A contact lens aftercare should include the following Detailed History and Symptoms This is very important as it enables the clinician to get a clear understanding of how the patient is getting on with the lenses. Questions should include how well they see with their lenses and whether they are comfortable all day or only …

  I personally really enjoy assessing patients who have low vision. It is not always easy and at times it can be highly frustrating. There are many factors that influence the overall outcome. In my opinion, the patient’s mood and energy plays a big part. Patient ages vary within this field and an elderly patient who is motivated …