OSN Europe: The new era of online learning in ophthalmology

A young ophthalmologist shares some of the most helpful resources he has found online.

The digital age offers exciting new potential for learning and sharing information and ideas in ophthalmology. Most of us remain unaware of resources that may be particularly useful for our practice. Helgi David Björnsson, MD, a young ophthalmologist from Oslo, Norway, has done the hard work for us and compiled a list of some of the best go-to sites. Particularly exciting is a growing trend to offer cutting-edge material, previously only available internally to institutions, for free as open access.

Anthony P. Khawaja, MB BS, MA(Cantab), MPhil, FRCOphth, Chair of the SOE Young Ophthalmologists committee

by Helgi David Björnsson, MD

In recent years, there has been a boom in the number of ophthalmology resources available online. This development has not received the attention it deserves, and most ophthalmologists are not aware of more than a handful of them. I was no exception until I took a closer look while preparing for a talk I gave at the Nordic Congress of Ophthalmology last year. Initially, I was planning to talk about the few sites I was already using, but when I started digging deeper, I realized that there was a whole universe that I was not aware of. Each site is unique, with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some cover almost every aspect of ophthalmology, while others are super specialized; most are free, while some charge for access; some only have text and pictures, while others give you a complete multimedia experience.

The most impressive resource I came across was the ONE Network by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. This site has so much to offer: access to leading research journals, case presentations and clinical guidelines, to name but a few. The most impressive part are the learning plans in which you can choose among 16 available topics, each packed with the latest scientific articles, case studies and video presentations. Access to the ONE Network requires an AAO membership, which can be quite pricy, but check with your local ophthalmology society because many societies have a partnership with the AAO to provide free access.

Wills Eye Hospital has generously created a remarkable site, the Wills Eye Institute Knowledge Portal. It has more than 500 videos covering the whole range of ophthalmology and is available to all. My favorite section is the Chiefs’ Rounds in which a junior doctor gives a presentation in front of a group of specialists who are quite vocal, often leading to lively discussions.

Another exceptionally generous organization is the International Council of Ophthalmology. It has created an open platform, WOC On Demand, in which you can watch a host of video recordings of presentations from the previous World Ophthalmology Congresses. Most major conferences are following this trend, most notably the AAO, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, but these require payment for access.

Then we have smaller sites that have a more focused target group. These sites are free of charge and are the result of hard labor of a single individual or a few dedicated individuals. If you are a new resident and you have not seen Root Eye Network, you are in for a treat. This site explains the most common conditions and procedures brilliantly. The comical illustrations may seem too simple at first glance, but they will help you learn about the underlying pathophysiology, thereby understanding the disease. Online Video Tutorials in Oculoplastic Surgery is aimed at beginners in the field. This site features high-quality videos that teach the fundamentals of the practice as well as its application on real patients. Evaluation of the optic disc can be a very tricky subject, and the Training Course for the Appraisal of Sequential Optic Disc Stereophotos is an online course dedicated to help you evaluate gradual changes in the optic disc related to glaucoma. The course is interactive, continually testing your skills while offering corrections along the way to maximize your learning. Atlas of Gonioscopy is an amazing resource that teaches you everything from the basics to more advanced features of gonioscopy and iris pathology.

These are just some of the resources I have found, but I have designed a website that gives an overview of the all sites I have tested so far with links and a small description of each. Feel free to visit http://ophtholinks.com. It is very easy to get lost in the abundance of material available, so I recommend spending a little time on planning your goals. It is also important to think about which learning styles suits you best, as some people are much more efficient reading text while others find it more useful to watch a lecture. I do not believe these sites replace ophthalmology textbooks; however, they may be a powerful supplement for your learning.

References:

AAO Annual Meeting 2014: http://store.aao.org/aao-2014-meetings-on-demand.html

ARVO Education Online: http://arvoconnect.arvo.org/arvoeducation/home

Atlas of Gonioscopy: http://gonioscopy.org

ESCRS: http://escrs.conference2web.com

One Network: http://one.aao.org

Online Video Tutorials in Oculoplastic Surgery: http://oculoplastics.info

Ophtholinks: http://ophtholinks.com

Root Eye Network: http://rooteyenetwork.com

Training Course for the Appraisal of Sequential Optic Disc Stereophotos: http://egodap.be

Wills Eye Institute Knowledge Portal: http://willseyeonline.org

WOC On Demand: http://woc.conference2web.com

For more information:

Helgi David Björnsson, MD, is a resident at Oslo University Hospital, Norway. He can be reached at helgidavid@gmail.com.

SOE Young Ophthalmologists website: http://soevision.org/yo.

Disclosure: Björnsson reports no relevant financial disclosures.