MS · Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each

Ophthalmology is generous to the postgraduate because the outpatient clinic measures almost everything you need in a single sitting, and a cataract list supplies numbers no other surgical specialty can match. The real constraints are equipment-shaped: OCT, specular microscopy, automated perimetry and a non-mydriatic camera are not in every department, and a thesis built on a machine shared with another unit stalls when that machine goes down. Examiners press on how visual acuity and refraction were recorded, on who did them, and on whether the eye or the patient was treated as the unit of analysis.

Topic register · 45 entries · 8 designs^[6]

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NMC PGMER-2023
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ICMR 2017 · ethics

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Filter by design or by feasibility, or search the titles and outcomes. Filtering only hides entries: every topic stays on the page, so nothing is lost if you clear the filters or arrive by a deep link.

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Study design

Feasibility in a teaching unit

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Showing 45 of 45 topics

The sample figure on each plate is a planning range read off the design, not a calculated answer. Your own number comes from a calculation against your own assumptions — the difference you would call clinically meaningful, the variability in your setting, the power you want — and it belongs in the synopsis with those assumptions written beside it.

Topic 01 / 45
Link to this entry
Visual outcome and surgically induced astigmatism after manual small incision cataract surgery compared with phacoemulsification
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Best corrected visual acuity and keratometric astigmatism at six weeks
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50–70 eyes per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a phacoemulsification machine in regular use alongside the manual technique
- keratometry performed before surgery and at six weeks by one person
- a refraction protocol applied identically to both arms
What derails it
Nuclear density decides which operation is offered, so a unit that reserves phacoemulsification for softer cataracts produces a comparison of grades rather than techniques; apply a written grading limit and report it.
Topic 02 / 45
Link to this entry
Peribulbar compared with sub-Tenon anaesthesia for manual small incision cataract surgery
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Patient-reported pain on a visual analogue scale during surgery and the need for supplementary anaesthetic
Collection time
10–12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50–70 eyes per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a cataract list large enough to fill both arms inside the year
- a fixed agent and volume for each technique, drawn up the same way every time
- the pain score asked by someone who neither gave the block nor operated
What derails it
Akinesia tells the operating team which block was used, so the pain score has to be taken by an independent person immediately after surgery, before anyone discusses the case with the patient.
Topic 03 / 45
Link to this entry
Central corneal endothelial cell loss after phacoemulsification measured by specular microscopy
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Percentage change in central endothelial cell density at six weeks from the preoperative count
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60–90 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a specular microscope in the department with reliable servicing
- counts taken by a single trained operator in the same corneal zone
- a consistent phacoemulsification technique and viscoelastic
What derails it
Specular counts vary substantially between operators and between corneal locations, so one person must acquire and count every image, and images with fewer cells than the instrument's minimum must be rejected by a stated rule.
Topic 04 / 45
Link to this entry
Predicted compared with achieved refraction using the SRK-II and SRK/T formulas across a range of axial lengths
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Mean absolute refractive prediction error at six weeks
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100–150 eyes spread across axial length bands, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- optical or contact biometry performed to a stated technique for every eye
- subjective refraction at six weeks by one optometrist
- a single intraocular lens model with a known constant
What derails it
Contact biometry indents the cornea by a variable amount in different hands, which can move the prediction error on its own, so one trained person must do all the biometry with the same probe technique.
Topic 05 / 45
Link to this entry
Intraoperative complications during resident-performed cataract surgery and their effect on visual outcome
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Posterior capsule rupture or vitreous loss, and best corrected visual acuity at six weeks
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200–300 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a training list where residents operate under supervision
- an intraoperative record countersigned by the supervising consultant
- six-week follow-up with refraction
What derails it
Complications under-report themselves when the operating resident fills the form, so the supervising consultant must record the intraoperative event before the patient leaves theatre.
Topic 06 / 45
Link to this entry
Presenting visual acuity and cataract grade among patients attending a hospital cataract clinic
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of presenting best corrected visual acuity with lens opacity grade
Collection time
6–9 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 400–600 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a standard illuminated acuity chart at a fixed distance
- slit lamp grading of lens opacity against a single reference system
- pinhole or refraction available at the same visit
What derails it
Acuity recorded by whoever is free at the counter, in varying room light and without a pinhole, is not comparable between patients, so fix the chart, the distance, the illumination and the person.
Topic 07 / 45
Link to this entry
Intraoperative difficulty and outcome of cataract surgery in eyes with pseudoexfoliation
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Intraoperative complications and best corrected visual acuity at six weeks
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60–90 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- dilated slit lamp examination documenting pseudoexfoliative material and pupil size
- surgeons recording zonular and pupil behaviour during surgery
- intraocular pressure measured before and after surgery
What derails it
Poor dilatation is the operative problem you most need to quantify here, so measure pupil diameter with a ruler at a fixed time after the same drop regimen rather than writing 'poorly dilating' in the notes.
Topic 08 / 45
Link to this entry
Diabetic retinopathy grade at the time of cataract surgery and visual outcome at three months
DesignCohortFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Best corrected visual acuity at three months by preoperative retinopathy grade
Collection time
12 months of enrolment with three months of follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80–120 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- fundus assessment before surgery, with B-scan where the media preclude a view
- OCT or dilated fundus examination at three months for macular oedema
- a diabetic cataract load sufficient for the target
What derails it
In a dense cataract the retinopathy grade cannot be assessed before surgery at all, so decide in advance whether such eyes are excluded or graded at the first postoperative visit, and keep that rule constant.
Topic 09 / 45
Link to this entry
Change in central macular thickness on optical coherence tomography after uneventful phacoemulsification
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Central subfield thickness at six weeks compared with the preoperative measurement
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60–90 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- an OCT machine available to the department on a predictable schedule
- scans acquired on the same machine and protocol throughout
- exclusion of diabetic and uveitic eyes by a stated rule
What derails it
Thickness values are not interchangeable between machines or scan protocols, so if the department's OCT is replaced or sent for service mid-study the data cannot be pooled; confirm availability for the whole period.
Topic 10 / 45
Link to this entry
Tear film changes after phacoemulsification measured by Schirmer test and tear break-up time
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Schirmer I value and tear break-up time at six weeks compared with baseline
Collection time
10–12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60–90 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Schirmer strips and fluorescein available throughout
- measurements by one observer at the same time of day
- a standard postoperative drop regimen for all patients
What derails it
Schirmer values swing with room temperature, fan speed and time of day, so fix the room, the hour and the observer, and record whether the patient had instilled preserved drops that morning.
Topic 11 / 45
Link to this entry
Optical coherence tomography patterns of diabetic macular oedema and their relation to visual acuity
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Distribution of morphological patterns with central subfield thickness and best corrected visual acuity
Collection time
10–12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100–150 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a working OCT with a consistent macular scan protocol
- a diabetic retinopathy clinic with sufficient referrals
- pattern grading by two observers against a written definition
What derails it
Pattern classification is subjective and drifts over months of reading, so write the definitions down, have a second reader score a sample and report the agreement rather than assuming it.
Topic 12 / 45
Link to this entry
Anatomical and visual response to three monthly intravitreal anti-VEGF injections for diabetic macular oedema
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Central subfield thickness and best corrected visual acuity one month after the third injection
Collection time
15–18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 35–55 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a supply of the injection the institution or patient can sustain for three doses
- an aseptic area for intravitreal injection
- OCT at each visit on the same machine
What derails it
The second and third injections are where this study fails, because the patient pays per dose and stops after one; establish who funds the full course before the protocol goes in.
Topic 13 / 45
Link to this entry
Non-mydriatic fundus photography against dilated slit lamp biomicroscopy for detecting referable diabetic retinopathy
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Sensitivity and specificity of photographic grading against dilated examination as reference
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200–300 patients, governed by the expected proportion with referable disease, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a non-mydriatic fundus camera and a grader masked to the clinical examination
- a diabetes clinic willing to send patients for both assessments
- a written definition of referable retinopathy
What derails it
Cataract and small pupils make a sizeable fraction of non-mydriatic images ungradable, and excluding them overstates the test's usefulness, so report ungradable images as a result rather than dropping them.
Topic 14 / 45
Link to this entry
Diabetic retinopathy grade among patients attending a hospital diabetes clinic
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of retinopathy grade on dilated fundus examination with duration of diabetes and HbA1c
Collection time
9–12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 300–450 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- dilated fundus examination by a consistent pair of examiners
- HbA1c available for the clinic population
- co-operation of the medicine department for referral
What derails it
Duration of diabetes is taken from the patient's memory of when they were first told, which is later than onset, so record it as reported duration and say so rather than treating it as true duration.
Topic 15 / 45
Link to this entry
Retinopathy of prematurity on screening of preterm neonates and associated perinatal factors
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Any stage of retinopathy of prematurity on indirect ophthalmoscopy within the screening window
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120–200 neonates, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a neonatal unit with a screening policy and an agreed referral list
- a 20D or 28D lens, speculum and indentor with an experienced examiner
- oxygen exposure and birth weight data from the neonatal records
What derails it
Babies are discharged before the screening week arrives and the families do not come back, so the screening visit must be booked before discharge and linked to the neonatal follow-up clinic or the cohort evaporates.
Topic 16 / 45
Link to this entry
Peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness on optical coherence tomography and visual field mean deviation in primary open angle glaucoma
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Correlation of average and quadrant-wise nerve fibre layer thickness with visual field mean deviation
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80–120 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- OCT and an automated perimeter both available on a predictable schedule
- field tests meeting stated reliability indices
- a glaucoma clinic with enough established cases
What derails it
Unreliable fields with high fixation losses are to be expected in elderly patients and must be excluded by a written rule, otherwise the correlation you report is between a scan and noise.
Topic 17 / 45
Link to this entry
Central corneal thickness and Goldmann applanation intraocular pressure in glaucoma suspects
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Relation of central corneal thickness to applanation intraocular pressure
Collection time
9–12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150–220 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- an ultrasonic pachymeter used with a consistent technique
- applanation tonometry by one examiner with a calibrated tonometer
- a written clinical definition of glaucoma suspect
What derails it
The tonometer must be checked for calibration at a stated interval during the study, because a tonometer that has drifted over several months moves every reading in the same direction and there is no recovering the true values afterwards.
Topic 18 / 45
Link to this entry
Opportunistic glaucoma screening of accompanying attendants above forty in the eye outpatient department
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with intraocular pressure above a stated cut-off or a suspicious optic disc on examination
Collection time
8–10 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 400–600 individuals, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a tonometer and a 90D lens available in the screening room
- a defined referral pathway for those who screen positive
- consent and counselling arrangements for asymptomatic people
What derails it
Attendants come with a patient and will not wait for dilated disc examination, so decide whether undilated assessment satisfies your outcome and state it, rather than losing half the sample at the dilatation step.
Topic 19 / 45
Link to this entry
Latanoprost compared with timolol as first-line monotherapy in primary open angle glaucoma
DesignRandomised controlledFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Reduction in diurnal intraocular pressure at six weeks from baseline
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 35–50 per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- both drugs available without interruption for the study period
- diurnal pressure measurement at fixed clock times by one examiner
- CTRI registration before the first patient is enrolled
- exclusion of asthma and bradycardia before allocation to timolol
What derails it
Diurnal measurement means the patient stays for the day and working patients will not, so the sample drifts towards the retired unless you offer a defined single-day schedule with a travel allowance.
Topic 20 / 45
Link to this entry
Intraocular pressure control and complications after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C at six months
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Intraocular pressure at six months and the proportion achieving success without medication
Collection time
15 months of enrolment with six months of follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 35–50 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a glaucoma surgical load of at least two or three trabeculectomies a month
- mitomycin C with a stated concentration and application time
- a written definition of surgical success
What derails it
Bleb needling and suture lysis in the early weeks change the outcome and are done at the surgeon's discretion, so record every postoperative intervention with its date or the six-month figure is uninterpretable.
Topic 21 / 45
Link to this entry
Gonioscopic angle grading and anterior chamber depth in primary angle closure suspects
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of Shaffer grades with anterior chamber depth and intraocular pressure
Collection time
10–12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120–180 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a gonioscope and an examiner trained to grade in dark conditions
- anterior chamber depth by ultrasound or optical biometry
- a consistent definition of the suspect population
What derails it
Gonioscopy grades change with room light and the pressure applied to the lens, so the examination must be done in a dark room with a narrow beam off the pupil, by the same examiner, every time.
Topic 22 / 45
Link to this entry
Intraocular pressure rise in patients on topical corticosteroids after ocular surgery
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Intraocular pressure above a stated threshold within six weeks of starting topical steroid
Collection time
10–12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150–220 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a postoperative clinic with fixed review intervals
- applanation tonometry by one examiner with a calibrated instrument
- a uniform steroid regimen and taper
What derails it
Patients stop or continue the drops on their own and buy refills over the counter, so verify the actual regimen at each visit by examining the bottle rather than relying on the prescription.
Topic 23 / 45
Link to this entry
Clinical and microbiological profile of infective corneal ulcers and outcome of treatment
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Organism isolated on culture and healing by a stated epithelial closure criterion at four weeks
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100–150 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- microbiology support for corneal scraping culture on appropriate media
- slit lamp photography or a standardised drawing of the ulcer at each visit
- a protocol for initial empirical therapy
What derails it
Most patients arrive having already used a steroid or antibiotic drop bought from a pharmacy, which suppresses culture and changes the appearance, so record prior treatment in detail as a study variable.
Topic 24 / 45
Link to this entry
Potassium hydroxide mount and Gram stain of corneal scrapings against culture in suspected infectious keratitis
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Sensitivity and specificity of smear microscopy against culture as reference
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120–180 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- scrapings taken at the slit lamp by a trained person with enough material for smear and culture
- microbiology processing on the same day
- a stated media set for bacterial and fungal culture
What derails it
Scanty material means the smear is made at the expense of the culture, so agree the order and quantity of inoculation with microbiology in advance and record when material was insufficient.
Topic 25 / 45
Link to this entry
Conjunctival autograft compared with bare sclera excision for primary pterygium: recurrence at six months
DesignRandomised controlledFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Recurrence defined as fibrovascular tissue crossing the limbus at six months
Collection time
15 months of enrolment with six months of follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30–45 eyes per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a pterygium operative load sufficient for both arms
- a written definition and photographic documentation of recurrence
- CTRI registration before the first patient is enrolled
- six-month follow-up with active recall
What derails it
Recurrence is graded by appearance and the grader can see which operation was done from the graft itself, so have a masked observer read standardised photographs instead of scoring at the slit lamp.
Topic 26 / 45
Link to this entry
Dry eye symptoms by the Ocular Surface Disease Index and tear film tests among students with prolonged screen exposure
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Ocular Surface Disease Index score with Schirmer value and tear break-up time
Collection time
6–9 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 250–400 participants, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a validated translation of the Ocular Surface Disease Index
- Schirmer strips and fluorescein with one examiner for all tests
- institutional permission to approach students
What derails it
Screen hours are self-reported and students both over- and under-state them, so ask about the previous day in segments rather than for a weekly average, and record contact lens use separately.
Topic 27 / 45
Link to this entry
Uncorrected refractive error and spectacle compliance among school children in the hospital's catchment area
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion whose uncorrected acuity improves with refraction beyond a stated level, and spectacle wear among those already prescribed
Collection time
9–12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 800–1200 children, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- school and education department permissions obtained before the synopsis
- a portable acuity chart, retinoscope and trial set with a trained optometrist
- a referral and spectacle provision pathway for those identified
What derails it
School permissions and examination timetables, not the clinical work, set the timeline here, and a term lost to examinations can cost four months, so get written permission in hand before submitting the protocol.
Topic 28 / 45
Link to this entry
Axial length and cycloplegic refraction in myopic children attending an eye clinic
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Axial length by biometry and its relation to cycloplegic spherical equivalent
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120–180 children, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- biometry feasible in children with a co-operative technique
- cycloplegic refraction with a stated drug and dosing protocol
- parental consent arrangements for cycloplegia
What derails it
Cycloplegia is incomplete in children with dark irides unless the drug and waiting time are fixed, and an inadequately cyclopleged refraction will make every child look more myopic than they are.
Topic 29 / 45
Link to this entry
Visual outcome and compliance with occlusion therapy in unilateral amblyopia
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Change in best corrected visual acuity of the amblyopic eye at three months with recorded patching hours
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50–80 children, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a paediatric or orthoptic clinic with regular follow-up
- an age-appropriate acuity test used consistently
- a simple patching diary the parent can maintain
What derails it
Patching hours reported by parents tend to run higher than what was actually done, so compare the diary against the number of patches actually dispensed and treat compliance as an estimate rather than a measurement.
Topic 30 / 45
Link to this entry
Atropine penalisation compared with occlusion therapy in moderate unilateral amblyopia
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Best corrected visual acuity of the amblyopic eye at twelve weeks compared with the baseline value
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30–45 children per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- an age-appropriate acuity test administered the same way at every visit
- atropine one per cent and eye patches supplied for the whole course
- cycloplegic refraction with spectacles worn for a stated period before enrolment
What derails it
Atropine blurs the good eye and parents stop it the week the child cannot read the blackboard, so ask about school work at every visit and count the drops or patches actually used, because an unreported stop looks exactly like treatment failure.
Topic 31 / 45
Link to this entry
Angle of deviation and binocular status after horizontal squint surgery
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Residual deviation in prism dioptres at three months and binocular single vision on a stated test
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 35–50 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- prism bar and cover test measurement by one examiner before and after surgery
- a squint surgery load of at least two or three cases a month
- a synoptophore or Worth four dot test for binocularity
What derails it
Measurements taken at different fixation distances or without the full refractive correction in place differ by several prism dioptres, so fix the distance, the target and the spectacle state for every measurement.
Topic 32 / 45
Link to this entry
Near point of convergence and accommodative function in young adults presenting with asthenopia
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Near point of convergence and accommodative amplitude with a symptom score
Collection time
8–10 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200–300 participants, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- an RAF rule or equivalent used with a consistent technique
- refraction completed before the convergence assessment
- a symptom questionnaire applied the same way to everyone
What derails it
The near point recedes with repeated testing in the same sitting, so fix the number of attempts and which one you record, or the last patient of the morning is measured differently from the first.
Topic 33 / 45
Link to this entry
Ocular Trauma Score at presentation and final visual acuity in open globe injury
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Best corrected visual acuity at three months by Ocular Trauma Score category
Collection time
15 months of enrolment with three months of follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40–60 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- an emergency eye service receiving open globe injuries regularly
- B-scan ultrasound where the fundus cannot be seen
- a proforma completed before primary repair
What derails it
The score needs an initial visual acuity, and in a frightened patient with a bleeding eye that is often never formally recorded, so define the acceptable methods including perception of light and insist on documentation before surgery.
Topic 34 / 45
Link to this entry
Clinical profile and aetiological work-up of anterior uveitis in a teaching hospital
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of identifiable aetiologies after a stated investigation protocol
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80–120 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- an agreed investigation panel with the medicine and microbiology departments
- slit lamp grading of cells and flare to a single standard
- follow-up that captures recurrences within the study period
What derails it
A work-up panel ordered selectively by the treating doctor produces an aetiology distribution that reflects the panel, so fix the minimum investigations for every patient and record which were actually done.
Topic 35 / 45
Link to this entry
Anatomical and functional success of external dacryocystorhinostomy for primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Patency on syringing and resolution of epiphora at six months
Collection time
15 months of enrolment with six months of follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40–60 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- an oculoplasty or general ophthalmic list doing this operation regularly
- syringing and a stated epiphora grading at each follow-up
- six-month recall with telephone reminders
What derails it
Patency on syringing and the patient's own sense of watering can disagree, so report both and define success on the symptomatic outcome rather than only the syringe, which is the easier but less meaningful endpoint.
Topic 36 / 45
Link to this entry
Margin reflex distance and lid symmetry after levator resection for congenital ptosis
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Margin reflex distance one at the last recorded follow-up compared with the preoperative value
Collection time
4–5 months of record review with clinic recall
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30–60 eyelids, limited by what the archive contains
What your unit must already have
- records with preoperative and postoperative photographs or measurements
- a consistent method of measuring margin reflex distance on recall
- an ethics waiver plus consent for photography of recalled patients
What derails it
Old notes record 'ptosis corrected' without a number, so unless preoperative measurements or scaled photographs exist the study has no baseline; audit ten files for measurement documentation before committing.
Topic 37 / 45
Link to this entry
Clinical grading and treatment response in vernal keratoconjunctivitis in children
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Change in a composite symptom and sign score at six weeks on a stated topical regimen
Collection time
10–12 months covering the relevant season
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60–90 children, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a paediatric eye clinic seeing this condition through its season
- a written grading scheme for papillae, limbal signs and symptoms
- the same examiner grading all visits
What derails it
This disease has a strong seasonal pattern, so a study enrolling through the summer and reviewing in the monsoon will show improvement that belongs to the calendar rather than the treatment; record the month of every visit and discuss it.
Topic 38 / 45
Link to this entry
Anatomical and visual outcome after scleral buckling for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Retinal reattachment at three months and best corrected visual acuity at the last follow-up
Collection time
4–6 months of record review over three to four years
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40–80 eyes, limited by what the archive contains
What your unit must already have
- a vitreoretinal service with an operative archive
- retinal drawings or imaging sufficient to classify the detachment
- an ethics waiver for record review
What derails it
Macular status and duration of detachment determine the visual outcome and are the two things least reliably recorded in old files, so establish what proportion of notes carry them before fixing the sample.
Topic 39 / 45
Link to this entry
Colour vision deficiency detected on Ishihara testing among commercial vehicle drivers at a licensing assessment camp
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion failing Ishihara testing by a stated criterion, with visual acuity
Collection time
6–8 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 400–700 drivers, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- official permission to test at the licensing or camp site
- Ishihara plates in good condition with consistent daylight illumination
- a standard acuity chart and a referral note for those identified
What derails it
Ishihara plates fade and must be read under consistent daylight-equivalent illumination, and a set used in a corridor under a tube light will misclassify normal subjects, so fix the lighting and viewing distance at every session.
Topic 40 / 45
Link to this entry
B-scan measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter in patients with clinically diagnosed papilloedema
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Optic nerve sheath diameter on B-scan in patients with papilloedema compared with patients who have no clinical or fundus evidence of raised intracranial pressure
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30–50 patients with a similar number of comparison subjects, taking the patient rather than the eye as the unit of analysis, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a B-scan ultrasound unit and an operator trained in the thirty degree test
- co-operation with neurology or medicine for case identification
- fundus photography to document the disc
What derails it
Sheath diameter is measured at a stated distance behind the globe and varies with the gain setting, so fix the measurement point and machine settings and have a second observer repeat a sample of scans.
Topic 41 / 45
Link to this entry
Reasons for delay in presenting for surgery among patients with mature cataract
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of stated reasons for delay with the duration of visual impairment
Collection time
6–9 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 250–400 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a pretested interview schedule in the local language with a closed reason list
- a private space to interview patients and attendants
- the interview done before surgery is scheduled
What derails it
Patients give the answer they think the doctor wants, so the interview must be conducted by someone not involved in their surgical decision, and the reason list must be pilot-tested to include options such as having nobody to accompany them.
Topic 42 / 45
Link to this entry
Adherence to topical antiglaucoma medication and its determinants among patients on long-term therapy
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Adherence on a pretested self-report measure with the reasons given for missed doses
Collection time
8–10 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200–300 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a glaucoma clinic with patients on treatment for at least six months
- a pretested questionnaire in the local language
- drug availability and cost information for the region
What derails it
Self-reported adherence tends to be inflated, the more so when the treating doctor asks, so use an independent interviewer and cross-check against the refill date written on the bottle.
Topic 43 / 45
Link to this entry
Improvement in visual function with low vision devices in patients with irreversible visual impairment
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Near and distance acuity with the device compared with best spectacle correction, and continued device use at three months
Collection time
12–15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40–70 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a low vision clinic with a trial set of magnifiers and telescopes
- an optometrist trained in device prescription
- three-month follow-up to record continued use
What derails it
Acuity improves in the clinic and the device then sits in a drawer, so the meaningful outcome is continued use at three months, which needs a home telephone call rather than a clinic visit.
Topic 44 / 45
Link to this entry
Systemic and ocular associations of retinal vein occlusion compared with age and sex matched clinic controls
DesignCase-controlFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Association of hypertension, diabetes, lipid profile and intraocular pressure with retinal vein occlusion
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50–70 cases with one to two controls each, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- fundus documentation confirming the occlusion and its type
- access to blood pressure, glucose and lipid measurement for cases and controls
- a written matching and control selection rule
What derails it
Controls drawn from the cataract clinic tend to be older and more often hypertensive than the general population, which can flatten the association you are looking for, so define the control source and its limitations explicitly.
Topic 45 / 45
Link to this entry
Indications and outcomes of therapeutic keratoplasty over a three-year period
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Globe salvage and graft clarity at the last recorded follow-up, by indication
Collection time
4–5 months of record review
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40–80 eyes, limited by what the archive contains
What your unit must already have
- an eye bank link and a keratoplasty operative archive
- microbiology results for the preceding infective episode
- an ethics waiver for record review
What derails it
Tissue availability rather than clinical need decides when these operations happen, so the series reflects the eye bank's supply during the period and that must be stated rather than presented as a clinical pattern.

The designs

What each design commits you to

The designs in this Ophthalmology register

The design is not a label on the title; it decides your ethics route, your timetable and the test that answers your primary question. Only the designs that appear above are explained here.

Cross-sectional
15 topics
One contact per participant. Usually the quickest to complete, and the design most often chosen when time is short.
Prospective observational
18 topics
Participants are followed after enrolment without allocating an intervention. Ethics approval must precede the first enrolment.
Retrospective
3 topics
Existing records only. Faster, but limited by what was recorded, and a waiver of consent is normally sought from the ethics committee.
Comparative interventional
3 topics
Two or more arms compared. Ethics scrutiny is heavier, and the protocol must state how allocation is handled.
Randomised controlled
2 topics
Allocation is randomised. Prospective interventional studies are registered with the Clinical Trials Registry of India before the first participant is enrolled.
Diagnostic accuracy
2 topics
An index test measured against a reference standard. The sample size depends on the expected sensitivity or specificity and the prevalence in your setting.
Case-control
1 topic
Cases and controls compared for prior exposure. Control selection is where these are most often criticised.
Cohort
1 topic
A defined group followed over time. Attrition is the usual threat, so plan for it in the sample size.

What the feasibility mark means

A judgement about a typical teaching unit, not about yours. Confirm the volume, the equipment and the co-operation a topic needs before your synopsis goes in, because after that the timetable stops being negotiable^[2].

Straightforward
23 topics
Achievable in most teaching units with routine caseload and no equipment beyond what is already in use.
Moderate
20 topics
Achievable, but needs either a specific piece of equipment, a collaborating department, or a caseload you should confirm before committing.
Demanding
2 topics
Only take this on if your unit already has the volume, the equipment and the co-operation it needs. Confirm all three before your synopsis goes in.

Next steps

Before you commit to one

What to do with a topic you like

Three steps, in this order. None of them is us: the first is arithmetic, the second is your guide, the third is a search only you can run.

Do the arithmetic
The figure on each plate is a planning range, not an answer. Put your own assumptions — the difference you would call clinically meaningful, the variability you expect, the power you want — into the free sample size calculator, then divide the result by the eligible patients your unit sees in a month and see whether the months you have left permit it.
Take it to your guide
Nothing on this page is approved by anybody. Your guide and your department decide what is feasible in your unit, and your ethics committee decides whether it may start — before the first participant, not before the analysis^[5]. Where your university ordinance is stricter than anything here, the ordinance wins^[1].
Run the search yourself
We make no claim that any question here is novel, under-studied or a gap, because that depends on a literature search run today in your own field. Read what the search returns before you write the introduction, and be ready to say why the question is worth asking in your setting.

What a thesis in this field has to satisfy — the obligations, the statistics and the questions residents ask first — is set out on the Ophthalmology page. Other specialties are in the topic bank index, and the method is worked through in the guides.

Undertakings

Mechanisms, not promises

What protects your draft, and who owns the work

Each line below is a mechanism this platform implements or a published instrument it is built around. None of them is a guarantee, and we are affiliated with no regulator or university.

Protection of your work

Row-level security
Every table enforces row-level access. You read your own record, and nothing else.
View-only streaming
Drafts are streamed to you through an authenticated route, not handed over as a file.
Watermarked to you
Every page you read carries your own name and email across it.
Download gated
The final file unlocks when the fee is settled in full, and not before.
Mumbai region · DPDP 2023
Your record and your documents are held in the Mumbai region, so India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 applies to them.
Anonymised data only
We accept no patient identifiers. An NDA is available on request.

How this works

Instruments we work to

NMC PGMER-2023
The thesis obligations set out in the postgraduate medical education regulations.
NBEMS
DNB and DrNB protocol and thesis timelines, and the page limit, as published.
UGC 2018 · <10%
The academic integrity convention we work to on every draft.
ICMJE · Vancouver
Authorship criteria and reference style, applied as published.
No affiliation
We work to these published instruments. We are affiliated to none of the bodies that issue them.

How this works

Authorship and the uniqueness check

Sole author
Mentoring, editing, statistics and compliance. You remain the sole author of your thesis.
Not ghostwriting
We will not write your thesis for you, and we will not be named in it.
MDSoftune
Word-level uniqueness checking, built with REDENN Informatics Inc., Canada.
Every version
Each draft is checked word by word before your university sees it.

How this works

MDThesis is an independent academic mentorship practice. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for the NMC, NBEMS, UGC or any university.

Free feasibility call

Tell us where your thesis stands. A senior doctor will tell you what to do next.

A senior doctor replies within one working day. No obligation. MD, MS, DNB, DrNB, DM, MCh, MDS and international programmes.

Request for a feasibility call

No obligation

Reply within one working day · No obligation · Your details are not shared

Prefer to write to us first? Contact the practice. We mentor and edit; you remain the sole author of your thesis.

References

[1]
Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, National Medical Commission. In force 1 January 2024. Thesis requirements at Regulation 5.2. nmc.org.in
[2]
DNB and DrNB thesis guidelines, National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences. Protocol within 180 days of joining for three-year courses and 90 days for the two-year post-diploma DNB; research study complete by 24 months; thesis by 26 months; 80-page limit inclusive of certificates and annexures. natboard.edu.in
[5]
National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research Involving Human Participants, 2017, Indian Council of Medical Research. Ethics approval precedes data collection. icmr.gov.in
[6]
Counts of specialties, tracked stages, supported currencies and supported countries are structural facts of this platform, read from its own configuration rather than from a claim.

Document: Topic bank — Ophthalmology · Revision 1 · Last reviewed 10 SEPT 2026

Issued by MDThesis, a brand of REDENN Informatics Private Limited

Ophthalmology thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for eachOphthalmology thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each

Visual outcome and surgically induced astigmatism after manual small incision cataract surgery compared with phacoemulsification

Peribulbar compared with sub-Tenon anaesthesia for manual small incision cataract surgery

Central corneal endothelial cell loss after phacoemulsification measured by specular microscopy

Predicted compared with achieved refraction using the SRK-II and SRK/T formulas across a range of axial lengths

Intraoperative complications during resident-performed cataract surgery and their effect on visual outcome

Presenting visual acuity and cataract grade among patients attending a hospital cataract clinic

Intraoperative difficulty and outcome of cataract surgery in eyes with pseudoexfoliation

Diabetic retinopathy grade at the time of cataract surgery and visual outcome at three months

Change in central macular thickness on optical coherence tomography after uneventful phacoemulsification

Tear film changes after phacoemulsification measured by Schirmer test and tear break-up time

Optical coherence tomography patterns of diabetic macular oedema and their relation to visual acuity

Anatomical and visual response to three monthly intravitreal anti-VEGF injections for diabetic macular oedema

Non-mydriatic fundus photography against dilated slit lamp biomicroscopy for detecting referable diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy grade among patients attending a hospital diabetes clinic

Retinopathy of prematurity on screening of preterm neonates and associated perinatal factors

Peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness on optical coherence tomography and visual field mean deviation in primary open angle glaucoma

Central corneal thickness and Goldmann applanation intraocular pressure in glaucoma suspects

Opportunistic glaucoma screening of accompanying attendants above forty in the eye outpatient department

Latanoprost compared with timolol as first-line monotherapy in primary open angle glaucoma

Intraocular pressure control and complications after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C at six months

Gonioscopic angle grading and anterior chamber depth in primary angle closure suspects

Intraocular pressure rise in patients on topical corticosteroids after ocular surgery

Clinical and microbiological profile of infective corneal ulcers and outcome of treatment

Potassium hydroxide mount and Gram stain of corneal scrapings against culture in suspected infectious keratitis

Conjunctival autograft compared with bare sclera excision for primary pterygium: recurrence at six months

Dry eye symptoms by the Ocular Surface Disease Index and tear film tests among students with prolonged screen exposure

Uncorrected refractive error and spectacle compliance among school children in the hospital's catchment area

Axial length and cycloplegic refraction in myopic children attending an eye clinic

Visual outcome and compliance with occlusion therapy in unilateral amblyopia

Atropine penalisation compared with occlusion therapy in moderate unilateral amblyopia

Angle of deviation and binocular status after horizontal squint surgery

Near point of convergence and accommodative function in young adults presenting with asthenopia

Ocular Trauma Score at presentation and final visual acuity in open globe injury

Clinical profile and aetiological work-up of anterior uveitis in a teaching hospital

Anatomical and functional success of external dacryocystorhinostomy for primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction

Margin reflex distance and lid symmetry after levator resection for congenital ptosis

Clinical grading and treatment response in vernal keratoconjunctivitis in children

Anatomical and visual outcome after scleral buckling for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Colour vision deficiency detected on Ishihara testing among commercial vehicle drivers at a licensing assessment camp

B-scan measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter in patients with clinically diagnosed papilloedema

Reasons for delay in presenting for surgery among patients with mature cataract

Adherence to topical antiglaucoma medication and its determinants among patients on long-term therapy

Improvement in visual function with low vision devices in patients with irreversible visual impairment

Systemic and ocular associations of retinal vein occlusion compared with age and sex matched clinic controls

Indications and outcomes of therapeutic keratoplasty over a three-year period

What the feasibility mark means

Tell us where your thesis stands. A senior doctor will tell you what to do next.

Ophthalmology thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each