The Duke Elder is an optional exam open to all undergraduate medical students in the UK. It is recommended for students who are interested in ophthalmology. Scoring in the top 10% of candidates gives you 2 points for your specialty…
Summary Diabetic retinopathy is characterised by damage to the microvasculature supplying the eye due as a result of diabetes mellitus. It can result in progressive loss of vision. Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in…
Summary Peripheral ulcerative keratitis describes a group of inflammatory diseases involving the peripheral cornea. It is associated with autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Symptoms include pain, redness, tearing, photophobia and decreased visual acuity. Signs…
Summary Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is defined as joint inflammation presenting in children under the age of 16 years, and persisting for at least six weeks, with other causes excluded. It is the most common cause of paediatric anterior uveitis,…
Summary Anisocoria is a condition involving unequal pupil sizes. The many causes of anisocoria range from benign to serious, life-threatening conditions. Aetiology n Anisocoria is a condition in which the pupils are of different sizes. Anisocoria is derived from the…
Summary Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) is the separation of the vitreous membrane from the neurosensory retina. This is a very common condition amongst older patients, due to natural changes in the vitreous fluid that occur with ageing. Whilst PVD itself…
Summary There are several genetic disorders with ocular manifestations that are important to learn about for the Duke-Elder exam. Here, we summarise the key learning points about these conditions. Stickler syndrome n Stickler syndrome is a group of hereditary connective…
Summary Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown cause that has numerous clinical features, but mostly affects the lungs, eyes, lymph nodes and skin. Sarcoidosis is one of the commonest systemic associations of uveitis. Aetiology n Sarcoidosis is a…
Summary Various topical, intra-vitreal and systemic medications can cause retinal toxicity. Despite the presence of the blood-ocular barrier, the retina is still susceptible to the toxic effects of certain drugs, leading to dysfunction and degeneration of the retina . In…
Summary Keratopathy is defined as disease of the cornea. There are many different types of keratopathy; some have local causes, whereas others have systemic causes. Here, we provide a summary of some of the important types of keratopathy to learn…