I spent some hours at the weekend checking the diary for clashes and omissions. This was prompted by the high volume of reminders I was getting about forthcoming events. It seems that the ‘living with Covid’ approach has now filtered down to event organisers, and the next few months look very busy indeed.
There is 100% Optical in London (April 23 to 25), the European Academy conference in Dublin from May 13 to 15, the inaugural British Contact Lens Association’s Focus event held on June 11 and 12 in Birmingham, and then good old Optometry Tomorrow, the College of Optometrists’ event, which will be back in Telford on June 19 and 20. I am surprised at how much we have missed the face-to-face aspect of these events. After all, much of the lecture and teaching content is more than adequately transmitted via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Go to webinar platforms. But, the things said ‘off-mike’, in jest or in full opinionated flow, are usually what stay in the memory and, let’s be honest, keep things interesting.
Other free dates are increasingly being filled as cover for colleagues taken ill by Covid; I asked around about this and found that I am not alone in knowing more people than ever with Covid symptoms at present. Also, has anyone else had patients reporting post-Covid tinnitus? I plan to look into this more and will report accordingly.
I further noted, with regret, that I missed that this issue was to go out on April 1. In past years, we have been allowed to run the odd April fool feature. My favourite was from Professor Barry Winn who described a rare condition that caused sporadic unilateral eye brow raising, often brought on by a pause in conversation for double-entendre. Famous sufferers included Roger Moore.
Finally, I confirm with relief that there are no clashes with Glastonbury.
- Do you have an idea for a clinical feature? Email the clinical editor bill.harvey@markallengroup.com.