Dr Hong with a patient at the CPD event. Credit: Woo Sung Jeh

Otago Vision Specialist recently invited local eyecare practitioners to a live slit-lamp masterclass with real patients in attendance.

The practice’s corneal specialist Dr Sheng Chiong Hong led the masterclass, where footage was projected onto a large screen, allowing the audience to follow the examination in real time. Through three patient cases, Dr Hong guided attendees through clinical presentation, history-taking, examination, diagnosis and management discussion. Cases included cicatricial entropion with signs of symblepharon, ocular trauma resulting in lensectomy and a Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) transplant, with venting suture and double Molteno tubes, and a Mooren’s ulcer, which is a particularly rare and painful condition.

Patients shared their stories and discussed their conditions with the audience, while Dr Hong answered questions. He said this created a highly practical and engaging learning environment, giving attendees a rare insight into real-time assessment and clinical reasoning in ophthalmology.

The evening also included a light dinner and refreshments, followed by a presentation from Dr Chuen Yen Hong, ophthalmology registrar at Dunedin Hospital, who spoke about the higher prevalence and severity of keratoconus in Māori and Pacific Peoples, and the cost-effectiveness of corneal crosslinking treatment.

Overall, it was an outstanding event and an exciting model for collaborative learning, said Otago Vision Specialist’s CEO Dr Ben O'Keeffe. “It not only showcased image-based specialty teaching in a very practical way but also strengthened collaboration between local eyecare professionals across Dunedin.”

With 25 in-person attendees and 39 joining online, the inaugural event attracted a strong turnout across both formats. Watch a recording of the event here.