See the best of our print edition with the 2024 cover story roundup

Do you subscribe to our print issue? It is the best way to get access to in-depth features from industry leaders. Plus, you can read cover stories before anyone else. Here, we have collected the digital versions of our 10 cover stories from throughout 2024. Glaucoma, corneal care, paediatrics, genetic testing and therapy, refractive surgery, and retina care are all represented by this diverse cohort of topics.

January/February: Promising avenues could simplify glaucoma management – just in time

By Keith Barton, MD, FRCP, FRCS, FRCOphth

To start off the year, we explored the hottest topics in glaucoma, including deviceless surgery, subconjunctival minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, minimally invasive bleb-involving procedures, and innovative medical therapeutics.

Read now to learn how innovative therapies scale up to meet needs of a growing patient population.

March: Where women stand: A progress report on gender equity in ophthalmology

By Lynda Charters

Globally, 8 March is recognised as International Women's Day. We used the March issue to explore recent studies on gender parity and discrimination in eye care. Our industry has made strides, but there are still inequities to address. For example, about 25% to 30% of ophthalmologists are female, but the professional and academic leadership and ophthalmic surgical subspecialisation positions are held by more men.

The report illustrates why mentorship, leadership and addressing bias are key areas for improvement.

April: Racing against microbial keratitis

By Artemis Matsou, MD, MRCP(UK), FEBO

Microbial keratitis (MK) is a serious condition that can lead to blindness if not treated quickly and effectively. In the case of one 9-year-old patient with severe ocular surface injuries and related trauma, MK presented a significant treatment challenge. Our editorial board member, Ms Artemis Matsou, summarised the patient's ocular surface pathology and the surgical interventions his care team used in the battle against recurring complications.

In this case study, challenging choices force ophthalmologists to weigh long-term outcomes.

May: Reconfiguring treatment goals for paediatric myopia around ocular development

By Hattie Hayes; Reviewed by Hakan Kaymak, MD

Childhood myopia has lifelong implications, from vision loss to other ocular disease. Paediatric myopia control methods are vital to global ocular health. In this cover story from May, Prof Kaymak argues that in order to discern the best possible therapeutic intervention for an individual, the patient’s age should be taken into account, both for continuation of care and for establishing a measurable treatment goal. For the purposes of controlling myopia among children ages 6 to 18, physicians should measure axial length (AL) growth rates in comparison with physiological AL growth rates, in an age-matched treatment protocol.

Learn why clinicians may want to reconsider the therapeutic timeline for myopia progression.

June: Metabolomics and the molecular approach to glaucoma diagnosis

By Lynda Charters; Reviewed by Neeru Vallabh, MBBS, FRCOphth, PhD

Metabolomics reflects the physiological state of a tissue and provides information about interactions between genetics, environment and lifestyle. Ms Vallabh adapted a presentation on the workflow of metabolomics into an article that glaucoma specialists won't want to miss. Metabolites show enormous promise while the population of patients with glaucoma continues to grow.

In the future, metabolite changes may provide novel therapeutic targets—learn more.

July/August: Going for gold: The new standard for cross-linking

By Farhad Hafezi, MD, PhD, FARVO

Corneal cross-linking (CXL) has transformed the disease course of patients with corneal ectasias since its introduction to clinical practice in 2002. CXL has moved on, says Dr Hafezi, and a new, customised procedure improves vision without need for corneal tissue removal.

See how practitioners are leveraging this significant advancement in keratoconus treatment.

September: Unite and conquer when refractive surgery goes on a world tour

By Hattie Hayes, with contributions from Paul Filip Curcă, MD; Liudmyla Vasylieva, MD; Volodymyr Melnyk, MD; Atanas Bogoev, MD, FEBO; and Loredana Smarandache, MD

During the summer of 2023, the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) debuted its Moving Simulator programme. Initiated by immediate past president Oliver Findl, MD, MBA, FEBO, the specialised training is one part of the society’s focus on reaching junior members across Europe. The ESCRS was able to send the Moving Simulator to eight countries in its inaugural year of use, and will continue to visit at least six countries per year. Trainees and supervising physicians provided testimonials about this ESCRS programme.

The initiative continues to bring surgical training to nations in need.

October: What's missing in patient education?

By Albert J. Augustin, MD

The treatment of chronic or progressive retinal disorders such as diabetic retinopathy varies depending on the extent of the disease. In most cases the reasons for patients to lose vision is not due to an inability to treat their disease, but to a lack of awareness. Raising awareness is more effective when clinicians adjust their approach to account for patients' attitudes, past experiences and health behaviours, according to Prof Augustin. In other words, adapting the way patients are educated can make or break a treatment.

Here’s why a different approach better serves patients with diabetic retinopathy.

November: Zooming in on geographic atrophy with OCT-based AI

By Lynda Charters; Reviewed by Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth, MD

For years, researchers have been on a deep dive to better understand age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and geographic atrophy (GA). Introducing artificial intelligence (AI) into the investigative process gives researchers an edge by both simplifying their efforts in imaging analysis and providing more precise retinal details in patients with GA secondary to AMD. Prof Schmidt-Erfurth, illustrated the promise of this technology with results of a post hoc analysis of an optical coherence tomography-based AI study.

The new analysis brings disease progression and therapeutics into focus.

December: Putting diagnostic accuracy to the test for patients with FEVR

By Natasha F. S. da Cruz, MD, PhD; Julia L. Hudson, MD; and Audina M. Berrocal, MD

Our readers wrapped up the year with a cover feature on familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR), an inherited retinal disease that disrupts normal blood vessel formation in the retina. Due to the overlap of symptoms with other conditions, especially in children, FEVR is frequently misdiagnosed, underscoring the critical role of genetic testing in guiding appropriate management. An accurate diagnosis is challenging because its symptoms closely resemble those of other retinal diseases, including retinopathy of prematurity, Coats disease, and persistent fetal vasculature.

What you need to know about FEVR, and how a diagnosis aids in several aspects of patient management.