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Introduction Undergraduates are capable of making valuable contributions to the medical sciences. At The University of Auckland, many students complete summer studentship projects. Anecdotally, students have enjoyed these projects, developed an interest in academia, and published peer-reviewed articles. This study aimed to i) determine the publication rate following the studentship programme from 2001-2013, and ii) identify factors correlated with publication. Methods Students completing summer studentships at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland from 2001-2013 were identified. Seven databases were searched for articles with student and supervisor as named authors. Outcomes of interest were; i) publication within 3 years of studentship completion, ii) publication at any time, and iii) publication with the student as the first author. Results Over the 13-year period, 1345 studentship projects were completed, with 666 identified subsequent publications by 425 students. At 3 years follow-up after studentship completion, 22% had published, increasing to 32% at any time following studentship completion. Degree, department, and research category were all significantly correlated with successful publication. Conclusion Summer studentships provide New Zealand undergraduates with opportunities to make valuable contributions to science. Further investigation may facilitate improvement strategies and maximise benefits for students, supervisors,

A range of therapies are effective for acrophobia in the short term but not in the long term. Many of the comparative studies showed equivalence between therapies, but this finding may be due to a type II statistical error. The quality of reporting was poor in most studies.

The Universal II and RBF methods were better than SRK/T in medium length eyes (22 to 24.5 mm). It might be prudent to expect a progressive hyperopic shift in the 3 months after surgery because of posterior IOL migration.

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Importance Intraocular pressure (IOP) is often reduced following cataract surgery. Postoperative changes in corneal stiffness are likely to be at least partly responsible for any reduction in IOP measured with applanation tonometry. Background To determine the effect of cataract surgery and corneal incision size on corneal biomechanics. Design Prospective randomized trial. Participants One hundred prospectively enrolled patients qualifying for cataract surgery. Methods Participants were randomized to clear corneal incisions with a 2.20 or 2.85 mm keratome. Corneal Visualisation Scheimpflug Technology (Corvis‐ST) tonometry and dynamic corneal response measurements were obtained preoperatively, and 3 mo postoperatively. Multiple regression analysis was completed using R software. Main Outcome Measures Corvis‐ST biomechanical parameters. Results Ninety‐three eyes of 93 patients were included in the final analysis. Mean Corvis‐ST biomechanically corrected IOP decreased by 3.63 mmHg postoperatively (95% confidence interval = 2.97‐4.35, P ≤ 0.01), and central pachymetry increased by 6.96 μm (4.33‐9.59, P ≤ 0.01). Independent of IOP and pachymetry changes, mean (±SE) corneal first applanation stiffness parameter reduced by 9.761 ± 3.729 (P = 0.01) postoperatively. First applanation velocity increased by 0.007 ± 0.002 ms, second applanation velocity increased by 0.012 ± 0.004 ms (P ≤ 0.01), the first applanation deformation amplitude increased by 0.008 ± 0.002 mm (P ≤ 0.01) and the deflection amplitude at highest concavity increased by 0.030 ± 0.069 (P ≤ 0.01). There were no significant differences between different incision size groups. Conclusions and Relevance Corneal stiffness is reduced 3 mo following cataract surgery and is associated with falsely low IOP measurements. This finding may be important for glaucoma patients and in particular when assessing the effectivity of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery devices.

Importance Ocular injury is a common, preventable cause of temporary and permanent disability. Background The current study evaluates the nationwide incidence, demographics and visual outcomes of adults with ocular injury in New Zealand. Design Nationwide retrospective review. Participants New Zealanders aged 18‐99 years from 2007 to 2016 with ocular injury requiring assessment by a registered medical practitioner. Methods New Zealand national and regional datasets were used to evaluate population‐level statistics over a 10‐year period. Visual and clinical outcome data were assessed using a random sample of 150 patients from a tertiary hospital. Main Outcome Measures Annual incidence, aetiology, demographics, injury location, visual outcomes, protective eyewear use, surgical intervention and follow‐up. Results A total of 332 418 adult eye injuries were recorded nationally. The annual incidence of eye injury was 1007/100 000 population/year. Patients were predominantly male (76.1%), of New Zealand‐European ethnicity (74.6%) and aged between 20 and 29 years (21.1%). The most common mechanism of injury was “struck by object” (55.4%). Injuries occurred most commonly at home (48.4%), followed by commercial (15%) and industrial locations (13.8%). Injuries were more common in rural regions (P < .001). Protective eyewear use was reported in 6% of cases (n = 9, 95% confidence interval = 3.2‐11.0). Most ocular injuries were managed exclusively in primary care (70.5%). Conclusions and Relevance Adults with the highest risk of ocular injury are rural males aged 20 to 29 years. Protective eyewear use is uncommon in adults presenting with ocular injury and the majority of injuries are managed in primary care. Promotion of appropriate injury prevention strategies is an important public health message.