Neuro-ophthalmology is an extremely rewarding, intellectually stimulating specialty, which gives the opportunity to master the complete human visual system and in turn, help save and restore vision.
Would you feel satisfied to use your clinical skills to:
- Save a life by diagnosing an intracranial aneurysm at the bedside?
- Diagnose a potential brain tumour and save lives and sight by looking in the eyes?
- Diagnose a stroke by examining visual fields at the bedside?
- Diagnose multiple sclerosis by watching eyes move?
- Help a patient with multiple sclerosis who has debilitating double vision?
- Save a patient from unnecessary, painful, dangerous scans and tests?
Then neuro-ophthalmology is for you
If you are interested in using your keen diagnostic intellect, caring for patients, managing complex and debilitating diseases with good outcomes, teamwork and the latest technology, this career is for you.
You’ll also be a valued and important member of the multidisciplinary team. A neuro-ophthalmologist can manage patients directly, as well as provide specialist opinions on visual function and potential to patients with brain tumours, and other compressive lesions of the visual pathway, to other surgical colleges and multidisciplinary teams.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
In the UK, there are three ways to become a Neuro-Ophthalmologist, via
NON-MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
This new network is being created for orthoptists, optometrists and ophthalmic nurses with an interest and/or working in neuro-ophthalmology. The aim is to provide support and standardise extended and advanced clinical practice by sharing competency and training documents, and to provide a forum for discussion. A summary of the work done so far as presented at the UKNOS breakfast meeting can be found here
The network is being led by Sam McAuley (Neuro Orthoptist & Stroke Lead, Sheffield) and Dillan Lee (Neuro Orthoptist & Stroke Lead, King’s College Hospital, London).
There will be bi-annual meetings on teams and quarterly emails.
Email Sam and Dillan to be added to the mailing list: uknosnmp@gmail.com
This letter published in Eye 2024 provides unique insights into UK Neuro-ophthalmology care indicating high reliance on allied health professionals & a range of barriers impeding high-quality timely specialty informed care.
It is based on a survey by Ms Mags Dayan & other UKNOS founding members alongside up & coming Neuro-Ophthalmology colleagues. It is a timely alert & call to action for Neuro-Ophthalmology in the UK in the aftermath of the re-organisation affecting Neuro-Ophthalmology training for both Ophthalmology and Neurology trainees.
UKNOS aims to continue bring multidisciplinary colleagues together to meet these challenges and improve training, pathways and care. We are interested in this topic ongoing and as this is a perennial issue will always be willing to consider insightful and constructive submissions relating to this for our annual meeting
There are limited surgical opportunities, won’t I be able to do surgery?
You can keep up your surgical skills with squint surgical training if you are ophthalmology (RCOphth) trained, which fits hand in hand with neuro-ophthalmology, as well as intraocular surgery like treating cataracts, the commonest cause of blindness worldwide, which can be fixed with a 15 minute operation. Many neuro-ophthalmologists undertake cataract surgery, and can undertake squint surgery if they are interested in this area.
Is there a need? What about career opportunities?
Fear not, this specialty is in high demand and career opportunities are available across the nation. There is also the opportunity to get involved in research, if that is what you’d like, as the field of neuro-ophthalmology sits at the forefront of medical knowledge and technology.
I find it too intimidating when faced with a neuro-ophthalmic complaint in eye casualty on call, how can I do this as a career?
Neuro-ophthalmology is a component of ophthalmology training, but many trainees report feeling underserved by their training in this field and as a result either don’t feel confident to manage neuro-ophthalmic patients nor have the exposure to fully understand the beauty of this specialty. A placement or two in this specialty can easily break down the fear of not knowing what to do when faced with neuro-ophthalmic complaints in the eye casualty.
Regional teaching/observerships
If you are interested, please email us and we would be happy to point you in the right direction