Hello,
The topic of the research proposal is surveying an all cause study of patients eligible for blind registration at first presentation in Scottish hospital eye services. It will be interesting to compare this to actual blindness registrations in prior years and my study and see how many could have their blindness prevented if they were spotted earlier.
The 3 key factors to highlight in the paper
1. Rarity. Annual incidence in Scotland between 30-150, and you must show some calculation based on Fife data
2. Public and scientific importance
3. Achievability of research questions
The background section itself should take at least half a page.
Public health importance
- those seeking eye care, clinical need, access
- workload for ophthalmologists
- make sure all ophthalmologists are aware of blindness registration criteria - on reporting form
Use Retrospective data from Fife - alternate source, as control/ match, we can calculate mathematically the size of the problem.
References to use
Causes of blindness and visual impairments in west of Scotland. Eye 2004
Epidemiology of blindness attributable to diabetes in Scotland. Ophthal physiol ophthal 2011
Glaucoma blind registrations in Fife . BJO 2001
Incidence of blindness due to diabetic eye disease in Fife. Ophthal physiol oph 2004
Visual handicap in South East Scotland. j R Coll Surg Edinb 1995
You can find the reference papers mentioned above through online sources. I do not have them with me.
More details will provided