Corneal Fellowship

The corneal department has two consultants and two pre-consultant fellowship training posts.

The unit provides a comprehensive fellowship training curriculum covering all aspects of both adult and paediatric external diseases, keratoplasty (including high risk, femtosecond and lamellar), keratoprosthesis, and ocular surface reconstructive surgery (stem cell allografts and autografts, amniotic membrane), keratoconus management (collagen crosslinking, DALK, Femtosecond Intacs, toric phakic lenses) and Refractive (LASIK, PRK, PTK).

Educational purpose of training and intended goals

  • To improve diagnostic skills, decision making process and surgical acumen of participants in the areas of cornea, external diseases and refractive surgery. A strong emphasis is placed on understanding of the disease process from the basic science/cellular level.
  • To influence candidates to consider a career in academic medicine specializing in cornea, external diseases and refractive surgery.
  • The fellowship programme includes the diagnosis and medical management of diseases of the lids, conjunctiva, cornea/sclera and anterior ocular segment, as well as recognition and treatment of posterior segment disease that may affect the anterior segment. Surgery of the conjunctiva, cornea/sclera, anterior segment, lens, and anterior vitreous, with special emphasis on corneal transplantation and related procedures in adults and children. Principles and practice of keratorefractive surgery. Principles of contact lens fitting and management of complications of contact lens wear.

Basic curriculum overview

Clinical and research components

Fellows train in both medical and surgical aspects of corneal disease and refractive surgery.

Fellows also involve themselves in many of the research projects conducted by our clinical and laboratory science faculty. This allows fellows to further enhance their knowledge of eye diseases and of newly developed clinical and surgical treatments.

Participant’s supervisory and patient care responsibilities

The fellows will be responsible for the examination and treatment of all cornea patients at the Corneo Plastic unit, both outpatients and inpatients, under the supervision of the corneal consultants.

Didactic components

Fellows are asked to provide interesting cases for discussion at teaching conferences on Thursday mornings and to give lectures and journal club conference.

Evaluation

Fellows are continuously informally assessed and given feedback. Every six months, each fellow is evaluated on medical and surgical skills, administrative duties, relationships with staff and patients, research and teaching at a formal appraisal.

Full curriculum