Christina Grupcheva

Procedural aspects of the organization of the comprehensive European Board of Ophthalmology Diploma examination.

The comprehensive European Board of Ophthalmology Diploma (EBOD) examination is one of 38 European medical specialty examinations. This review aims at disclosing the specific procedures and content of the EBOD examination. It is a descriptive study summarizing the present organization of the EBOD examination. It is the 3rd largest European postgraduate medical assessment after anaesthesiology and cardiology. The master language is English for the Part 1 written test (knowledge test with 52 modified type X multiple-choice questions) (in the past the written test was also available in French and German). Ophthalmology training of minimum 4 years in a full or associated European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) member state is a prerequisite. Problem-solving skills are tested in the Part 2 oral assessment, which is a viva of 4 subjects conducted in English with support for native language whenever feasible. The comprehensive EBOD examination is one of the leading examinations organized by UEMS European Boards or Specialist Sections from the point of number of examinees, item banking, and item contents.

Blepharoplasty: One Touch - Serious Complication

1.1.Purpose:To describe and analyze a serious corneal complication following bilateral (4 lid) blepharoplasty by a plastic surgeon on patient with ultimate eye. 1.2.Case:A 59-year-old male with complicated eye history of pathological myopia, bilateral cataract surgery (June and September 2011) on both eyes and right eye vitrectomy (December 2012) following retinal detachment, decided to improve his esthetic appearance. After the plastic surgery procedure he had significantly decreased vision in his good eye. He was examined by an ophthalmologist 6 days after the plastic surgery and was diagnosed with severe bacterial conjunctivitis and a corneal foreign body. After adequate treatment it took 48 hours for the infection to be controlled but on biomicroscopy, although the cornea was absolutely clear, a strange linear lesion was identified. This lesion was apparently a result of electro-knife touch and was a reason for very poor vision of 0.1, which would not improve even with a pinhole. Corneal topography revealed 8 diopters irregular astigmatism. Anterior OCT demonstrated structural damage resulting in the reduction of corneal thickness to one half of its original size. In vivo confocal microscopy demonstrated a local area of keratocyte loss, with activation of the surrounding keratocytes. RGP lens improved the vision to useful 0.9, as the fellow eye had vision of 0.4 with notable metamorphopsia. 1.3.Conclusion:Although the complications of lower lid noninvasive blepharoplasty appear to be minimal, in the reported case corneal damage had a significant negative quality of vision and life impact. Protection of the eye surface and extreme care for the delicate anterior eye structures should be taken during surgery.