Episode 8: Ophthalmology Fellowship series – Revelle Littlewood – Neuro-ophthalmology fellowship in the UK

In this episode of EyeConnect, host Johnson Neo, a consultant ophthalmologist specialising in cornea, cataract, and refractive surgery, speaks with Revelle Littlewood, a consultant ophthalmologist based in Manchester specialising in neuro-ophthalmology and adult strabismus. They discuss Revelle Littlewood’s training pathway, with a particular focus on her fellowship journey. In this episode, you'll learn: Insights into choosing the neuro-ophthalmology and strabismus subspecialty and the thought process for the decision to move to Manchester for fellowship after training in South Yorkshire. The challenges faced during fellowship, including feeling "out of depth" initially and managing independent clinics. This period is highlighted as a crucial transition from registrar to consultant, where fellows are given more independence. Key criteria for selecting a suitable neuro-ophthalmology fellowship, emphasising finding one that offers training in the desired subspecialties and provides networking opportunities. Addressing common concerns about the subspecialty, such as the ability to continue performing cataract surgery and the potential for private practice. The critical importance of early planning for fellowships, ideally starting in ST1 or using admin time to explore interests, and gearing your CV towards your chosen subspecialty by ST5/6 to be competitive. Emphasis on developing theoretical knowledge and clinic skills in strabismus, noting that the surgery itself is often less challenging than the planning. Building a good relationship with and learning from orthoptists is considered crucial for understanding strabismus assessments.