Practical session 2 - Group 3

OPHTHALMOLOGY WORKSHOP

The sense of sight is fundamental to human well-being. Because of this, ophthalmologic research has been growing exponentially in recent years, but it has grown even more so because of the peculiarities of the visual system. The fact that the visual system is relatively isolated makes it an ideal model to test treatments that would otherwise be confounded by more variables in other body systems. While you are already familiar with some of the main characteristics of the eyes the ophthalmology course will take place in 4th Med School year, during which the anatomy, function, and pathologies of the eye will be explained. In this ophthalmology research workshop, we provide you a rough outline of the visual system as well as of the most common ocular diseases (from refractive problems such as myopia to severe visual disabilities such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration).

Transverse cut of the eye and its anatomy. Details of the retina and its layers. Source: eMedicine

Simulation of the diferent levels of severity of viusal alteration in patients with Age related Macular Degeneration. Source: Oftalmología Clínica, JJ Kanski 2009

The most practical part of the workshop consists of trying different smartphone/tablet applications (for both iPhone and Android) as useful tools to help in diagnosing ocular diseases.

Applications that are used to test visual function: Vision Test and Federopticos. 

These tools can be useful to test your own visual function as well as to test others that may have more serious visual dysfunction such as the aforementioned age-related macular degeneration.

Additionally, we will try another application, Cataract Surgery, that you can download for free from the Appstore for iPhone or from Google-Play for Android. As you´ll see, this app allows us to practice real ophthalmologic surgical techniques such as the membrane peel (capsulorhexis) or lens emulsification (Phaco).

The App Cataract Surgery allows us to practice cataract surgery techniques.

Many more useful ophthalmology applications are available, but go beyond the scope of this practical session. (Eye Handbook, Ophthalmology i-pocketcards, eyetube, among others).

Some of the most used apps in ophthalmology:  Eye Hanbook, Ophthalmology i-pocketcards, eyetube.

1. Learn the basic anatomy of the eye and the functions of its distinct parts.  
2. Differentiate the characteristics of patients with diseases related to optical defects and severe visual pathologies.  
3. Test the Smartphone/Tablet apps related to visual function with your classmates through various tests (visual acuity, color test, astigmatism test and dominant eye, as indicated in the practical session).  
4. Perform a simulation of cataract surgery through the app cataract surgery with all the required steps (capsulorhexis and phacoemulsification).