New online resource to debut at AAO

OPHTHALMIC hyperguide to provide a comprehensive research and study database for eye care pros.

Soon, surgeons will have a new, comprehensive resource in which to advance their knowledge of ophthalmology. Slated to officially go on line in January 2001, the OPHTHALMIC Hyperguide will be unveiled at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting in Dallas on Oct. 22-25.

The Ophthalmic Hyperguide was created by SLACK Incorporated, the publisher of Ocular Surgery News, supported as an educational service by Allergan. Ophthalmic professionals will have a chance to test out the new Web site at the Allergan booth during the AAO meeting.

What it is

---The OPHTHALMIC Hyperguide’s homepage as it will appear once it becomes available online.

The purpose of the hyperguide is to give ophthalmologists a one-stop resource for all of the information they need to learn about ophthalmology and also to have enough cutting edge information for practicing ophthalmologists.

According to chief medical editor Carmen Puliafito, MD, MBA, “It’s going to be directed in 2 ways: one to clinical ophthalmologists, who want to learn about clinical topics or who want to brush up on the basics of ophthalmology; and then also to ophthalmologists in training — residents and fellows who are interested in getting an interactive online experience in some basic areas of ophthalmology.”

Among the many different features available, users will be able to access audio and video lectures and PowerPoint slide presentations captured from international symposia 24 hours a day.

The site was conceived as another way of using the Internet to give eye care professionals ease of access to the information they need. But Dr. Puliafito is quick to point out that it is more than just a study resource for residents. “It’s a resource for those who are continually educating themselves: those who would go to a meeting to review basics of neural ophthalmology, for instance,” Dr. Puliafito said. “So, it will be set up in such a way that people can go to it, and use it at any time of day. It will be constantly updated, and in addition to the core information it will have online lectures and online case studies.

“In relatively straightforward, easily digestible form you’ll always have it there available to you if you’re near the Internet.”

How it will work

The hyperguide will be made up of 10 different subspecialty-based modules. These modules will include clinical optics, ophthalmic pathology, corneal and anterior segment diseases, glaucoma, retina, refractive surgery, cataract/IOL, oculoplastics, neuro-ophthalmology and pediatric ophthalmology.

Each module will consist of 40 subsections broken down into online lectures, tutorials and exam questions. Exam questions will be based on the tutorials, but physicians will also be able to directly access exam questions and customize their own exams. They will be able to create exams based on general knowledge of ophthalmology, or they will be able take a test based on any specific subsection of their choosing.

“Content will be custom written for the site and it will be clinically relevant both in the basic and practical aspects of ophthalmology,” Dr. Puliafito said. “There will be lots of clinical case studies, lots of illustrations, there’ll be lots of self testing options, so people will be able to review a basic aspect of clinical optics for instance, and self-test themselves. Or, if you want to look at a special area in ophthalmic pathology, like the pathology of melanomas, and then take a self quiz. There could be topics that may be unfamiliar to you, and you just want to sit down and get a good review on corneal dystrophies or sit down and read about the latest medications for glaucoma.”

Because of the amount of information the site will contain, the guide will also offer some areas of study that will be difficult to find on the typical Web site. “In particular, for instance, we’re going to have interactive sections on ophthalmic optics and pathology, and we think that these two things will be a unique Web-based resource,” Dr. Puliafito said. “There just isn’t another resource like this on the Internet. It just doesn’t exist.”

Quality control

To ensure the quality and accuracy of information contained on a hyperguide of this size, each of the modules will have its own ophthalmologist to serve as section editor in addition to being reviewed by Dr. Puliafito.

The hyperguide will be password protected, but will be available to eye care professionals free of charge. Eye care professionals who wish to access the site will be able to obtain a password and user ID through their Allergan representative.

For Your Information:

• Carmen Puliafito, MD, can be reached at Tufts University School of Medicine, 750 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111; (617) 636-5486; fax (617) 636-4215; e-mail: cpuliafito@lifespan.org.

• For more information about the Ophthalmic Hyperguide, visit Allergan at booth number 430 during the American Academy of Ophthalmology at the AAO.