Universal Medicine

Ocular drug delivery is where drugs are directly administered to the eye via injections/eye drops. It is one of the most challenging aspects of ocular pharmacology. Patients requiring injections have to go out of their way to attend uncomfortable procedures at outpatient clinics. The efficacy of eye drops is dependent on the patient’s skills, but even the perfect placement of eye drops will only result in 1-10% of the total administered dose being absorbed. These cons are responsible for low patient compliance, and consequently worse outcomes than predicted. After 20 years of trialling new ocular drug vehicles, ophthalmic pharmacies have devised ocular inserts as a novel solution. Their administration is speedier and more comfortable for the patient, they ensure better drug absorption at a regular rate, and they don’t have to be replaced as frequently. Ocular inserts are thin, drug-impregnated devices placed into the cul-de-sac or conjunctival sac of the eye. They can release steroids ...

Laser eye surgery – many have heard about it, and those among us who wear glasses have dreamed of having it ourselves. But despite being a glamorous solution to refractive errors like long- and short-sightedness, it remains a mystery, even with its huge implications for ophthalmology. Laser eye surgery, also known as laser vision correction, is an umbrella term for different surgeries that reduce refractive errors using laser treatment. In normal vision, light entering the eye converges at a certain point on the retina (the part of the eye that detects light) - this is called the focal point. Refractive errors are disorders caused by eyeball length being too long or short, so the focal point occurs in front of, or behind the retina. In myopia (short-sightedness) the eyeball is too long, which means the focal point occurs in front of the retina instead of on it. On the other hand, in hyperopia (long-sightedness), the eye is too short, which means the focal point is behind the retina. No...

Artificial intelligence (AI)  is a fast-growing branch of computer science and is being increasingly explored in medical research for utility across various fields. Of particular interest is the concept of machine learning (ML), referring to the capacity of a ‘machine’ to autonomously acquire its own programming for completing a task without a pre-written set of instructions. Impressively, these ‘machines’ can adapt (and, if necessary, correct) their algorithms according to new data and subsequently implement these programs for pattern recognition, determinations and predictions.  Furthermore, technological advances in computation tools and data acquisition, storage, and transfer are dramatically expanding the volume and speed of multi-modal data processing and communication. Ophthalmology, being an image-based speciality, lends itself to benefit from these digital ecosystems.  The recent global health crisis has incentivised the maturation of virtual health delivery infr...

Hello and welcome to the Ophthalmology section of Universal Medicine! We have a dedicated team of writers and editors passionate about sharing new and exciting posts across all Ophthalmic subspecialties. Stay tuned for posts over the coming weeks. Introducing the committee for the Ophthalmology Section! Gabriel (Editor and Writer): I  retina book  somewhere that eyes are the windows to the soul. For doctors, they're also the windows to all kinds of systemic diseases. So they're worth a closer look! Omar ( Editor and Writer ): I've been interested in eyes and ophthalmology since 1st year of medical school. Ophthalmic emergencies and retinal issues are two areas that really catch my eye ;) Expect more stuff related to these topics. Nada ( Editor and Writer ): I have always been passionate about ophthalmology. It is a very versatile specialty and combines academia, research, and clinical practice. Gagandeep ( Editor and Writer ): I became interested in ophthalmology as it is ...