An online glaucoma educational course for patients to facilitate remote learning and patient empowerment.

In both face-to-face and teleophthalmology glaucoma clinics, there are significant time constraints and limited resources available to educate the patient and their carers regarding the glaucoma condition. Glaucoma patients are often not satisfied with the content and amount of information they receive and have demonstrated a substantial lack of knowledge regarding their condition. Innovative educational tools that facilitate accessible digital remote patient education can be a powerful adjunct to empower patients in becoming healthcare partners.We describe the development of a free, comprehensive, multimodal online glaucoma patient education course for adults with glaucoma, their family and friends and carers, with the aim of providing a readable resource to aid remote learning and understanding of the condition.The working group for the development of the course comprised of consultants, medical practitioners and education specialists and expert patients. Given the specialised nature of ophthalmology and glaucoma, certain aspects can be difficult to conceptualise, and, therefore, clear and adequate explanations of concepts are provided in the course using diagrams, flow charts, medical illustrations, images, videos, written text, analogies and quizzes.The course is available in a short and long version to suit different learning needs which take approximately 2 hours and 10 hours to complete respectively. The contents list allows course takers to find sections relevant to them and it can be taken anywhere, as long as there is Internet access.We invite you to share this resource with your patients and their families, friends and carers.

Development of virtual ophthalmic surgical skills training.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess whether ophthalmic surgical skills can be taught successfully online to a diverse international and interprofessional student group. METHODS: Mixed methods study involving 20 students and 5 instructors. Each student completed a pre-session and post-session questionnaire to assess their perceptions regarding online instruction. Changes in questionnaire responses were analysed using Wilcoxon signed rank (SPSS 25). Semi-structured interviews were conducted to assess instructor perceptions towards virtual surgical skills teaching. Thematic analysis was undertaken using NVivo 12.0 software. RESULTS: There was a 100% completion rate of pre- and post-session questionnaires. Prior to the session, lack of instructor supervision and inability to provide constructive feedback were emergent themes from students. Pre-session concerns regarding online delivery: 40% of students thought their view of skills demonstration would be negatively impacted, 60% their level of supervision and 55% their interaction with instructors. Following the session 10%, 15% and 5% held this view respectively. All students were 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' regarding the 'Surgeon's View' camera angle as well as the use of breakout rooms. 75% perceived an improvement in their confidence in instrument handling, 80% in cable knot tying and 70% in suture tying. Overall student rating for the virtual surgical skills session was 8.85 (±1.19) out of 10 (10 being most satisfied). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that successful delivery of a virtual ophthalmic surgical skills course is feasible. We were able to widen accessibility and participation through virtual delivery, which has future implications for ophthalmic surgical teaching and its reach.

Corneal Endothelial Cell Density Loss after Glaucoma Surgery Alone or in Combination with Cataract Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

TOPIC: Corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) loss after glaucoma surgery with or without cataract surgery. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Corneal ECD loss may occur as the result of intraoperative surgical trauma in glaucoma surgery or postoperatively with chronic endothelial cell trauma or irritation. METHODS: Glaucoma filtration surgery or microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) in participants with ocular hypertension, primary and secondary open-angle glaucoma, normal-tension glaucoma, and angle-closure glaucoma were included. Electronic databases searched in December 2021 included MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Premarket Approval, and FDA 510(k). RESULTS: A total of 39 studies were included in quantitative synthesis. Twelve months after suprachoroidal MIGS, mean ECD loss was 282 cells/mm2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 220-345; P < 0.00001; chi-square = 0.06; I2 = 0%; 2 studies; very low certainty). Mean ECD loss after Schlemm's canal implantable devices was 338 cells/mm2 (95% CI, 185-491; P < 0.0001; chi-square = 0.08; I2 = 0%; 2 studies; low certainty) at 12 months. Mean ECD loss was 64 cells/mm2 (95% CI, 21-107; P = 0.004; chi-square = 4.55; I2 = 0%; 6 studies; low certainty) after Schlemm's canal procedures (without implantable devices) at 12 months. At 12 months, the mean ECD loss after trabeculectomy was 33 cells/mm2 (95% CI, -38 to 105, P = 0.36, chi-square = 1.17; I2 = 0%; moderate certainty). At 12 months, mean ECD loss was 121 cells/mm2 (95% CI, 53-189; P = 0.0005; chi-square = 3.00; I2 = 0%; 5 studies; low certainty) after Express (Alcon) implantation. When compared with the control fellow eye, aqueous shunt surgery reduced ECD by 5.75% (95% CI, -0.93 to 12.43; P = 0.09, chi-square = 1.32; I2 = 0%; low certainty) and 8.11% ECD loss (95% CI, 0.06-16.16 P = 0.05; chi-square = 1.93; I2 = 48%) at 12 and 24 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, there is low certainty evidence to suggest that glaucoma surgery involving long-term implants has a greater extent of ECD loss than glaucoma filtration surgeries without the use of implants. The results of this review support follow-up beyond 36 months to assess ECD loss and corneal decompensation after implantation of glaucoma drainage implants.

Glaucoma Health Coaching: A Survey of Eye Drop Instillation Education.

PRCIS: Health coaching is an effective strategy in supporting glaucoma patients to become champions of their own health. A personalized program should be implemented at the point of diagnosis. PURPOSE: Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Its mainstay of treatment is intraocular pressure-lowering eye drops. Yet, many patients do not receive education regarding their condition, the importance of their eye drops, and how to instil them. The purpose of this audit was to assess what proportion of glaucoma patients had received any education regarding eye drop usage and whether a health coaching intervention would be beneficial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective audit was conducted during World Glaucoma Week at Moorfields Eye Hospital. Patients diagnosed with glaucoma were given a 6-part questionnaire. Subsequently, they received a coaching session with a pharmacy team member, focusing on eye drop instillation. Patient feedback was recorded. RESULTS: The sample size was 262. Overall, 92% of patients who had received teaching found it useful. Approximately half the patients had never been shown how to use eye drops before. In all, 79% of those who had never received a demonstration thought that further coaching would be helpful. When experiencing difficulties with eye drop instillation; 29% of patients felt comfortable asking a relative; 26% would not ask for help, and 16% would consult their glaucoma doctor. Almost 30% of patients had poked themselves in the eye at least once, during self-administration. CONCLUSIONS: Experienced and inexperienced patients found glaucoma health coaching beneficial. Health coaching empowers patients with long-term conditions to be champions of their own health condition, and it is important for patients to receive this training from the onset of their treatment.

Corneal endothelial cell density loss following glaucoma surgery alone or in combination with cataract surgery: a systematic review protocol.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to systematically assess and compare corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) loss in patients with glaucoma following glaucoma surgery and cataract surgery. INTRODUCTION: Corneal ECD loss may occur due to intraoperative surgical trauma in glaucoma surgery or postoperatively with chronic endothelial cell trauma or irritation. Corneal oedema and decompensation after aqueous shunt glaucoma surgery has been reported but the long-term ECD loss is still unknown. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Trabeculectomy, glaucoma filtration surgery or microinvasive glaucoma surgery in adults with ocular hypertension, primary and secondary open angle glaucoma, normal tension glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma. Participants with pre-existing corneal disease will be excluded. Glaucoma laser treatments and peripheral iridotomy will be excluded. The outcomes include preoperative and postoperative corneal ECD, percentage change of corneal ECD and adverse events. METHODS: We will conduct an electronic database search for randomised controlled trials, prospective non-randomised studies, observational studies in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ClinicalTrials.gov and The International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). Eligibility criteria will include quantitative articles published after and including the year 2000, written in English and containing data on ECD loss. Two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts and extract data from full texts, reporting outcomes according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Data extraction of key characteristics will be completed using customised forms. Methodological quality will be assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal forms. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required for this review, as it will only include published data. Findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated across ophthalmic networks. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42020192303.

Predictors of ophthalmology career success (POCS) study.

OBJECTIVE: Ophthalmology is the busiest outpatient specialty with demand predicted to rise over 40% in the next 20 years. A significant increase in the number of trainee ophthalmologists is required to fill currently vacant consultant posts and meet the UK's workforce demands by 2038. Our aim was to understand what determines success in ophthalmology training, in order to inform future ophthalmologists, refine recruitment and facilitate workforce planning. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This was a retrospective longitudinal cohort study using routinely collected data available from UK Medical Education Database (UKMED) (https://www.ukmed.ac.uk/). Data were analysed on 1350 candidates who had applied for ophthalmology specialty training (OST) between 2012 and 2018, as well as 495 candidates who had attempted Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (FRCOphth) Part 1 between 2013 and 2018. Participants who had not obtained their primary medical qualification from the UK medical schools were excluded. Primary outcome measures included gaining a place on the OST programme and passing the FRCOphth Part 1 examination on first attempt. RESULTS: Higher education performance measure decile scores at medical school are strongly predictive in securing an OST post and passing the part 1 examination first time (p<0.001). Candidates who attempt FRCOphth Part 1 prior to their ST1 application are more likely to get a place on OST on first attempt. Socioeconomic factors, gender and ethnicity do not influence success in OST entry. Male trainees are more likely to pass FRCOphth Part 1 on their first attempt. CONCLUSION: This study is the first quantitative assessment of the factors that determine success in OST recruitment and ophthalmology postgraduate examinations in the UK. Similar studies should be undertaken in all other medical and surgical specialties to understand what factors predict success.