Application of digital media and information technology as an educational method in the Ophthalmology journal club.

Background: A journal club session tends to be boring after many hours of work during the week. Attendees lose their attention span shortly after the activity begins. Objectives: To introduce a new educational model, including the use of digital media devices and social media, in journal club teaching and to evaluate whether this new model could prolong attendees’ attention span. Methods: An online survey from the ophthalmology journal club was conducted to evaluate the range of attention span, the problems and suggestions. Then a team was convened to build a new educational model based on the survey results. Observations in the classroom, the information gathered from the social media, and a post-action online survey were used to evaluate the outcomes. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used for data analyses. Results: There were 20 journal club sessions during the study period. The journal club is comprised of 30 residents, 10 fellows and 19 staff members. The pre-action survey showed important information about the most boring part and the median attention span was 30 minutes. After the new educational model was introduced, the median attention span increased to 55 minutes (p<0.001, Wilcoxon signed ranks test). The status of the attendees, frequency of attendance, and frequency of falling asleep did not show statistically significant association with longer attention span. Students’ achievement scores were good. Conclusion: The new educational model increased the attendees’ attention span and provided learning achievement in the ophthalmology journal club.

Vision screening in schoolchildren: two years results.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of visual impairment and ocular abnormalities among schoolchildren in Chiang Mai. DESIGN: A community-based survey. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The vision screening project was conducted from June 2000 to March 2002. Students in grade I in the Chiang Mai municipal area were examined for visual acuity (VA), color vision, ocular alignment, anterior segment and fundus. Subjective refraction was done in students with subnormal vision (VA 20/30 or less). Referral to the hospital for further evaluation and treatment was made for students with strabismus, amblyopia and other ocular abnormalities. RESULTS: A total of 3,431 and 3,467 students were enrolled in 2000 and 2001, respectively. The prevalence of normal vision (VA 20/20), VA 20/30 or better in at least one eye and 20/40 or less in at least one eye were similar in both years (87%, 5.7%, 7.3% and 85%, 6.4%, 8.7%, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in visual acuity among boys and girls in either year (p = 0.6 and p = 0.2). Prevalence of abnormal color vision was 4.2%. Other causes of visual impairment in both years included strabismus (1.5% and 6.2%), amblyopia (1.1% and 1.4%) and some congenital abnormalities. Most cases of amblyopia were due to uncorrected refractive errors. CONCLUSION: The authors found that over 10% of school-aged children had subnormal vision. The important causes of visual deterioration came from refractive errors, strabismus and amblyopia. The authors concluded that vision screening is a cost-effective way of reducing visual morbidity from preventable visual impairment, which is a tragedy that cannot be ignored.

Penetrating keratoplasty following scleral patch graft procedure.

PURPOSE: To present the benefit of preserved sclera for immediately repairing perforated corneal ulcer and report the clinical outcome of patients undergoing penetrating keratoplasty after scleral patch graft. PATIENTS AND METHOD: The results of perforated corneal ulcer patients, who underwent penetrating keratoplasty after scleral patch graft between January 1996 and December 2002, were reviewed retrospectively. The causes of the corneal ulcer were also included. RESULTS: Penetrating keratoplasty was performed after scleral patch graft for perforated corneal ulcer on four patients, three males and one female. The culture results from corneal scraping showed Fusarium spp in two cases and Streptococus pneumoniae in one. One patient had a presumed bacterial corneal ulcer. The post-penetrating keratoplasty visual acuity ranged from hand motions to 20/40. CONCLUSION: The scleral patch graft procedure for perforated corneal ulcer may benefit in circumstances of unavailable corneal donors. The results of penetrating keratoplasty after scleral patch graft were favorable.