Pivotal Trials in Ophthalmology

Book excerpt: Pivotal Trials in Ophthalmology: A Guide for Trainees is an introductory text designed to give trainees a comprehensive and accessible overview of landmark trials in the different subspecialties of ophthalmology, and may also serve as a useful reference for practicing ophthalmologists, optometrists and researchers in the field. The text is subdivided by subspecialty, with each chapter authored by both a trainee and an expert in the field. A selection of pivotal research studies that have shaped how practitioners diagnose, manage, and treat disease are reviewed in chronological order. The purpose, study design, results, and study limitations are reviewed, and the key takeaway points from each study are listed in a digestible, bullet-point format. By listing the studies in chronological order, the reader will have an understanding of how studies have built upon each other and how knowledge has evolved over time. This text can serve as a basic introductory text for first year ophthalmology residents around which a standardized curriculum can be shaped, a study guide for board examination study, or a reference text for practitioners and researchers at any stage of training and practice.