DNB Ophthalmology

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

A DNB ophthalmology thesis is shaped by the NBEMS calendar more than by the subject: the protocol with ethics approval must be uploaded within 180 days of joining and the thesis submitted at 26 months, which leaves roughly a year to eighteen months of real collection and no room for a design that needs a second year of follow-up. That pushes the sensible choice towards cross-sectional clinic-based work, short-interval post-operative outcomes and diagnostic comparisons using instruments the department already owns. Examiners press on how visual acuity was recorded and converted for analysis, on which eye was used when both were eligible, and on whether the same observer took every measurement.

Topic register · 45 entries · 7 designs^[6]

Read the register DNB Ophthalmology thesis help

NMC PGMER-2023
NBEMS 180 days / 26 months
UGC 2018 · under 10%
ICMR 2017 · ethics

The register

Filter, read, copy

The DNB Ophthalmology register

Authored by the practice · Not compiled from any list

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.

Search title and outcome

Study design

Feasibility in a teaching unit

Any45Straightforward20Moderate22Demanding3

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 in logarithmic units at six weeks, with keratometric astigmatism
Collection time
10 to 12 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60 to 90 per group, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A cataract volume that includes both techniques in regular use by the unit
- A keratometer or autorefractor used consistently for pre-operative and post-operative readings
- A refraction protocol with a fixed post-operative interval and one refractionist
What derails it
Technique is chosen on the day by the surgeon according to cataract grade and pupil, so the two groups differ in grade unless you restrict enrolment to a defined nuclear grade band and say who decided; and with a six-week endpoint the whole study must be finished well inside the 26-month submission date, so enrolment cannot run past month eighteen.
Topic 02 / 45
Link to this entry
Corneal endothelial cell density change after phacoemulsification in relation to nuclear cataract grade
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Percentage change in endothelial cell density at six weeks from the pre-operative value
Collection time
12 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80 to 130 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A specular microscope in working order with a service contract for the study period
- A single operator performing every count using the same cell-marking method
- A cataract grading system applied by one examiner pre-operatively
What derails it
Specular microscopy fails in exactly the eyes you most want to measure, because a decompensating or hazy cornea gives an uncountable image, so define the minimum acceptable image quality in advance and record how many eyes could not be counted at each visit.
Topic 03 / 45
Link to this entry
Accuracy of intraocular lens power calculation formulas in eyes with short and long axial length
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Mean absolute prediction error between the predicted and achieved post-operative refraction at six weeks
Collection time
12 to 14 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 eyes across the axial length groups, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Optical biometry, since contact ultrasound biometry introduces variability that swamps formula differences
- A post-operative refraction at a fixed interval by one refractionist
- A fixed set of lens constants, not adjusted during the study
What derails it
Formula comparison is only meaningful if the lens constant is held fixed and the same lens model is implanted throughout, and a hospital that changes its lens supplier mid-year will split your series into two incomparable halves; confirm the lens procurement for the whole period before enrolling.
Topic 04 / 45
Link to this entry
Posterior capsule opacification after cataract surgery with two intraocular lens designs, assessed at a defined post-operative interval
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with clinically significant posterior capsule opacification by a stated grading at the defined interval
Collection time
8 to 10 months of clinic-based assessment
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- An operated patient register from which eyes at the required post-operative interval can be identified
- A slit lamp grading protocol with retroillumination photography if available
- One examiner grading all eyes, ideally masked to the lens implanted
What derails it
Identifying which lens was implanted means trusting the operation notes, and the lens model is frequently recorded only as a sticker that has faded or was never pasted; audit a sample of notes for lens documentation before deciding whether the comparison is possible at all.
Topic 05 / 45
Link to this entry
Intraoperative complications during resident-performed cataract surgery and their association with case characteristics
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion of cases with a recorded intraoperative complication, by category
Collection time
4 to 6 months of record work
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 500 to 1000 cases, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Operation theatre registers and notes for the full period, with the operating grade recorded
- A written complication taxonomy applied uniformly
- Ethics committee waiver of consent, and an agreement that individual surgeons are not identified
What derails it
Complications are under-recorded in notes written by the operator, and a study that names trainees will not be cleared, so anonymise the surgeon at the point of data extraction and expect the true rate to be higher than the documented one, which you must state.
Topic 06 / 45
Link to this entry
Anterior chamber inflammation on the first post-operative day after cataract surgery with and without intracameral antibiotic prophylaxis
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Anterior chamber cell grade on the first post-operative day by a standard grading scheme
Collection time
10 to 12 months of enrolment
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60 to 100 per group, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A written unit policy on intracameral prophylaxis and pharmacy-prepared dilutions
- A masked examiner grading inflammation on day one
- An uncomplicated, routine cataract list so that surgical trauma is comparable
What derails it
Intracameral dilution prepared in theatre is the step that causes toxic anterior segment reactions, and an ethics committee will ask exactly who prepares it and how, so the protocol needs a pharmacy-verified preparation process documented before submission.
Topic 07 / 45
Link to this entry
Dry eye symptoms and tear film parameters among young adults with prolonged digital screen exposure
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Ocular surface disease index score with tear film break-up time and Schirmer test value
Collection time
8 to 10 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200 to 350 participants, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A validated symptom questionnaire in the local language
- Fluorescein strips, Schirmer strips and a slit lamp with a cobalt blue filter
- A defined exposure measure, recorded in hours with weekday and weekend use separated
What derails it
Break-up time and Schirmer readings change with room humidity, air conditioning and time of day, and a clinic examined in summer afternoons reads differently from one examined in the morning; fix a single examination room, time band and examiner, and record ambient conditions.
Topic 08 / 45
Link to this entry
Clinical features of meibomian gland dysfunction among patients attending an ophthalmology outpatient department with ocular surface complaints
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with meibomian gland dysfunction by stated clinical criteria, with lid margin and expressibility grading
Collection time
8 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200 to 300 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A slit lamp and a standardised lid expression technique with fixed pressure and duration
- A written grading scheme for lid margin changes and meibum quality
- One examiner for all gradings, with a repeatability check on a subset
What derails it
Meibum expressibility grading depends entirely on how hard the examiner presses, so two examiners will produce two prevalence figures from the same clinic; standardise the technique in writing, and record an intra-observer repeatability figure because a grading-based study will be challenged on it.
Topic 09 / 45
Link to this entry
Recurrence after pterygium excision with conjunctival autograft at six months
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Recurrence by a stated definition of fibrovascular tissue crossing the limbus at six months
Collection time
14 to 16 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60 to 100 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A pterygium surgical volume that allows enrolment within the first year of collection
- Photographic documentation at each visit with a fixed magnification
- A follow-up schedule patients can keep, since many come from outside the district
What derails it
A six-month endpoint means the last patient must be enrolled by about month twelve of collection to leave time for writing before the 26-month submission, and outdoor labourers who return to work after surgery rarely come back for review; plan photographic follow-up and a telephone reminder from the outset.
Topic 10 / 45
Link to this entry
Clinical and microbiological profile of infective corneal ulcers presenting to a tertiary eye care unit
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion with bacterial, fungal or mixed growth on corneal scraping culture, with the clinical features recorded
Collection time
12 to 15 months of enrolment
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120 to 200 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A microbiology laboratory that processes corneal scrapings with the appropriate media
- Training in scraping technique and direct smear preparation at the slit lamp
- A record of treatment taken before presentation, which affects culture yield
What derails it
Many patients arrive having already used a topical antibiotic or a steroid from a local practitioner, which can reduce the culture yield; record prior treatment for every case and report yield separately for treated and untreated eyes rather than presenting a single organism distribution.
Topic 11 / 45
Link to this entry
Corneal topographic and pachymetric characteristics of eyes with keratoconus at presentation
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Distribution of keratometric and pachymetric indices with severity category by a stated classification
Collection time
12 months of enrolment
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80 to 140 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A corneal topographer in regular use, with its software version recorded
- A consistent scan acquisition protocol and a quality threshold for accepted maps
- A referral base that includes a reasonable number of keratoconus presentations
What derails it
Topographic indices are device-specific and not interchangeable between platforms, so a thesis that pools maps from two machines reports a mixture; if the department has only one topographer, confirm its service status, because a month of downtime in a fifteen-month window is costly.
Topic 12 / 45
Link to this entry
Visual and topographic outcome six months after corneal collagen cross-linking for progressive keratoconus
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Change in maximum keratometry reading at six months from baseline
Collection time
16 to 18 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40 to 70 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A cross-linking facility with riboflavin supply and a trained surgeon
- A topographer for baseline and follow-up maps on the same machine
- A documented definition of progression used for case selection
What derails it
With a six-month endpoint and a procedure done only on selected progressive cases, enrolment has to be complete by about month ten to fit inside the NBEMS submission date; count the unit's actual annual cross-linking numbers first, because a unit doing two a month cannot fill this study.
Topic 13 / 45
Link to this entry
Retinal nerve fibre layer thickness on optical coherence tomography in relation to perimetric severity in primary open angle glaucoma
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Average and sectoral retinal nerve fibre layer thickness across visual field severity categories
Collection time
12 months of enrolment
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100 to 160 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Optical coherence tomography with a glaucoma scan protocol and acceptable signal strength criteria
- A perimeter with reliable indices recorded and a rule for excluding unreliable fields
- A defined diagnostic criterion set for glaucoma applied by one examiner
What derails it
Unreliable visual fields are the hidden attrition here: elderly patients need two or three attempts and a substantial share never produce a reliable field, so state the reliability criteria and report how many eyes were excluded, because a study that quietly keeps poor fields is reporting noise.
Topic 14 / 45
Link to this entry
Central corneal thickness and its relation to Goldmann applanation intraocular pressure in patients attending a glaucoma clinic
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Intraocular pressure by applanation across central corneal thickness categories
Collection time
8 to 10 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200 to 300 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A calibrated Goldmann tonometer with a documented calibration check schedule
- An ultrasonic pachymeter and a fixed measurement technique with an average of several readings
- A fixed time of day for measurement, to limit diurnal variation
What derails it
Applanation readings drift with tonometer calibration and with the fluorescein ring the examiner judges, so check calibration at stated intervals and record who measured; an uncalibrated tonometer across a year of collection invalidates the entire dataset and cannot be corrected afterwards.
Topic 15 / 45
Link to this entry
Intraocular pressure change in patients on topical corticosteroid therapy for anterior segment disease
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with a rise in intraocular pressure above a stated threshold during the treatment period
Collection time
10 to 12 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120 to 200 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A clinic population started on topical steroid with a recorded regimen
- Tonometry at fixed follow-up intervals by the same method and at the same time of day
- A protocol stating what is done if pressure rises, agreed with the treating consultants
What derails it
Patients may stop or change steroid drops on their own and buy combination preparations from a chemist, in which case the exposure you think you are studying is not the one they had; ask at each visit what bottle they are actually using and count drops remaining rather than relying on the prescription.
Topic 16 / 45
Link to this entry
Intraocular pressure control and complications six months after trabeculectomy with adjunctive antimetabolite
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion achieving a stated target intraocular pressure at six months without additional medication
Collection time
16 to 18 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40 to 70 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A glaucoma surgical volume sufficient to enrol within the first year
- A written post-operative review schedule including bleb assessment
- A fixed definition of success agreed before enrolment
What derails it
Trabeculectomy numbers in a general ophthalmology unit can be low, so the sample and not the protocol is the constraint; count the last three years of trabeculectomies, and if the unit does fewer than thirty a year a six-month endpoint will not fit inside the NBEMS timeline.
Topic 17 / 45
Link to this entry
Anterior chamber angle findings on gonioscopy among patients with primary angle closure disease attending a glaucoma clinic
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Distribution of angle grade by a stated gonioscopic classification with the extent of peripheral anterior synechiae
Collection time
10 to 12 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100 to 180 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A gonioscope and an examiner trained to grade in dim illumination without indentation artefact
- A written grading classification and a fixed room illumination
- A referral base yielding angle closure presentations regularly
What derails it
Gonioscopic grading is influenced by the slit beam width and the light falling on the pupil, and an overeager beam opens the angle you are trying to grade; fix the technique in writing, grade in a darkened room, and document a repeatability check on a subset of eyes.
Topic 18 / 45
Link to this entry
Diabetic retinopathy grade and its relation to duration of diabetes among patients attending a diabetes clinic
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of retinopathy grade by a stated clinical classification on dilated fundus examination
Collection time
10 to 12 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 300 to 450 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A collaboration with the medicine or diabetes clinic for referral of consecutive patients
- Indirect ophthalmoscopy and a slit lamp with a suitable lens, plus mydriatics
- One grader for all eyes, with fundus photographs where available
What derails it
Duration of diabetes comes from patient recall and is anchored to the year of diagnosis rather than of onset, so it is systematically underestimated; record how duration was established for each patient and consider glycaemic control as a recorded variable rather than relying on duration alone.
Topic 19 / 45
Link to this entry
Optical coherence tomography patterns of diabetic macular oedema and their relation to visual acuity
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Central macular thickness and morphological pattern against best corrected visual acuity in logarithmic units
Collection time
12 months of enrolment
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100 to 160 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Optical coherence tomography with a macular scan protocol and a signal quality threshold
- A written morphological classification applied by one grader
- Refraction before acuity recording, done by one refractionist
What derails it
Central thickness values are not comparable across devices or even across scan protocols on the same device, so fix one protocol and state it; and a cataract in the same eye limits both the scan and the acuity, so define a lens opacity exclusion rather than attributing the acuity to the oedema.
Topic 20 / 45
Link to this entry
Visual and anatomical response three months after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy compared with macular laser in centre-involving diabetic macular oedema
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Change in central macular thickness at three months, with change in best corrected visual acuity
Collection time
15 to 18 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30 to 50 per group, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A retina service with an intravitreal injection facility and strict asepsis protocol
- A funding route for the injections, since cost decides who receives them
- Optical coherence tomography at baseline and each follow-up on the same machine
What derails it
Who gets an injection and who gets laser is decided by what the patient can pay, so the arms differ in income and in follow-up reliability; a thesis cannot randomise around that, and the protocol must say plainly how allocation happened rather than implying comparability.
Topic 21 / 45
Link to this entry
Retinopathy of prematurity on screening among preterm neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion with any stage of retinopathy of prematurity by the stated international classification at first screening
Collection time
12 to 15 months of screening
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 neonates, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A neonatal unit agreement for screening at the protocol-defined postnatal age
- An indirect ophthalmoscope with a suitable lens, a speculum and a trained examiner
- A treatment referral pathway for any neonate requiring intervention
What derails it
Screening must happen in the neonatal unit on the days the protocol specifies, including weekends, and babies are discharged or referred out before the screening age; secure an agreement that the unit will not discharge an eligible baby without an eye examination, otherwise your denominator is self-selected.
Topic 22 / 45
Link to this entry
Refractive errors and spectacle compliance among school children in an urban area
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion with uncorrected refractive error meeting a stated threshold, with spectacle wear observed on the day
Collection time
10 to 12 months of fieldwork
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 500 to 800 children, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Education department and school permission with parental consent and child assent
- A portable autorefractor or retinoscopy capability, plus a trial set and a vision chart
- An arrangement for providing or referring for spectacles, not screening alone
What derails it
A school screening that finds uncorrected error and offers nothing will be questioned by the ethics committee, so a spectacle provision or referral arrangement must be in place before approval; and cycloplegic refraction in children requires consent and time the school may not grant, which constrains your method.
Topic 23 / 45
Link to this entry
Compliance with occlusion therapy among children treated for amblyopia and the reasons for non-compliance
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion achieving the prescribed occlusion hours by parental diary over the observation period
Collection time
14 to 16 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60 to 100 children, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A paediatric ophthalmology or squint clinic with children started on occlusion
- A printed occlusion diary in the local language, explained to the parent at issue
- A follow-up schedule with telephone reminders and a structured barrier interview
What derails it
A parental diary is often filled in the waiting room before the appointment, in which case the hours recorded describe intention rather than practice; acknowledge that in the method, ask the child separately where age allows, and report the proportion of diaries that were clearly completed retrospectively.
Topic 24 / 45
Link to this entry
Ocular alignment three months after surgery for horizontal concomitant strabismus
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion within a stated prism dioptre range of orthotropia at three months
Collection time
14 to 16 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40 to 70 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A squint surgical caseload sufficient to enrol within the first year of collection
- Prism bar cover testing performed by the same examiner at every visit
- A written measurement protocol for distance and near, with and without correction
What derails it
Deviation measurement varies with fixation target, accommodation and the patient's cooperation on the day, so one examiner using the same target and distance throughout is essential; a series measured by whoever was in clinic will show a spread that hides the surgical result.
Topic 25 / 45
Link to this entry
Application of an ocular trauma score to predict visual outcome after open globe injury
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Best corrected visual acuity category at three months compared with the category predicted by the score at presentation
Collection time
15 to 18 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60 to 100 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- An emergency eye service receiving open globe injuries regularly
- The score variables recorded at presentation before any intervention
- A three-month follow-up route, since many trauma patients are migrant workers
What derails it
Presenting acuity in an injured eye is frequently recorded as could not be assessed because the lids are swollen or the patient is in pain, and that variable drives the score; define how an unassessable acuity is handled before enrolment, because deciding later will look like fitting the score to the outcome.
Topic 26 / 45
Link to this entry
Pattern of ocular injuries presenting to an eye casualty over three years: a record-based study
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of injuries by type, setting and presenting visual acuity category
Collection time
4 to 6 months of record work
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 500 to 1000 records, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Eye casualty registers and case records retrievable for the full period
- A coding scheme for injury type and setting, fixed before extraction
- Ethics committee waiver of consent for record review
What derails it
Casualty records rarely state how the injury happened in usable detail, particularly for assault and firework injuries where the history is guarded, so expect a large unspecified category and decide whether to report it as such rather than reclassifying from fragments.
Topic 27 / 45
Link to this entry
Vision-related quality of life before and six weeks after cataract surgery, using a validated instrument
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Change in vision-related quality of life score from before surgery to six weeks after
Collection time
10 to 12 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120 to 200 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A validated local-language instrument with documented permission for use
- An interviewer-administered format, since many patients cannot read the form
- A fixed post-operative interval and one interviewer throughout
What derails it
Patients are inclined to tell the surgeon's team that they are much better whatever a score would show, so the post-operative administration should be by someone not involved in their care, and the score must be read out in the same wording every time rather than paraphrased by whoever is free.
Topic 28 / 45
Link to this entry
Reasons for delay in presenting for cataract surgery among patients with advanced cataract
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of stated reasons for delay among patients presenting with acuity below a defined level
Collection time
8 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200 to 350 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A pre-tested reason schedule in the local language with both open and closed items
- A defined acuity threshold for inclusion, measured before surgery
- An interviewer who is not part of the surgical counselling team
What derails it
Patients tend to give the reason they think the doctor wants to hear, and a barrier such as the want of an escort or the timing of the harvest surfaces only on probing; use a prompt list built during pre-testing and record both the first reason and the reason given after probing.
Topic 29 / 45
Link to this entry
Retinal changes in patients with systemic hypertension and their relation to blood pressure category
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with retinopathy by a stated grading scheme, across blood pressure categories
Collection time
10 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200 to 350 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Medicine clinic collaboration for a defined hypertensive population
- Dilated fundus examination with a fixed grading scheme and one grader
- Blood pressure measured at the same visit by a standard technique
What derails it
A single clinic blood pressure reading misclassifies a large number of patients, and grading mild retinopathy from indirect ophthalmoscopy has poor agreement between observers; take the average of repeat readings and document a repeatability check on grading, or both halves of the association are unreliable.
Topic 30 / 45
Link to this entry
Clinical activity and severity of thyroid eye disease among patients with thyroid dysfunction attending an endocrine clinic
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Clinical activity score and severity category by stated criteria
Collection time
12 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100 to 180 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Endocrinology collaboration for referral of consecutive patients
- An exophthalmometer and a fixed measurement technique with the base setting recorded
- Training in applying the activity score consistently
What derails it
Exophthalmometry readings vary with the base setting and the examiner's eye level, so record the base setting for every patient and use one examiner; a series measured by different residents cannot be compared even within itself.
Topic 31 / 45
Link to this entry
Clinical pattern and aetiological work-up outcome in patients presenting with uveitis
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Distribution of anatomical types with the proportion in which a specific aetiology was identified
Collection time
14 to 15 months of enrolment
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100 to 180 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A defined investigation protocol agreed with medicine and the laboratory in advance
- Access to the tests the protocol specifies, including imaging where required
- A standard anatomical classification applied at presentation
What derails it
A work-up protocol is only as good as what the hospital can actually do and what the patient can pay for, so a large share of cases end as undetermined; decide the test panel with the laboratory beforehand and report how many patients completed the full panel, because that number is the real finding.
Topic 32 / 45
Link to this entry
Clinical and microbiological features of acute infective conjunctivitis in an outpatient setting
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with bacterial growth on conjunctival swab culture, by clinical presentation category
Collection time
10 to 12 months of enrolment
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Microbiology support for swab processing with appropriate transport media
- A swab technique fixed in writing, taken before any drop is instilled
- A record of self-medication before presentation
What derails it
A swab taken after several days of a chemist's antibiotic drop may grow nothing at all, and such patients are not unusual in this clinic; record prior drop use and report culture yield by that history rather than presenting a pooled organism profile.
Topic 33 / 45
Link to this entry
Contact lens wearing practices and reported complications among regular soft contact lens users
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion reporting at least one lens-related complication, against a hygiene practice score
Collection time
8 to 10 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 users, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A contact lens clinic or optical outlet collaboration for access to regular wearers
- A pre-tested practices questionnaire covering solution use, case hygiene and overnight wear
- A slit lamp examination to corroborate reported signs
What derails it
Users often know which practices are wrong and report those instead, so a questionnaire alone risks measuring knowledge rather than practice; ask to see the lens case and solution bottle at the visit and record its expiry and condition as an observed item.
Topic 34 / 45
Link to this entry
Lid position outcome three months after surgery for simple congenital or acquired ptosis
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Margin reflex distance at three months compared with the pre-operative value
Collection time
14 to 16 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30 to 60 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- An oculoplasty caseload sufficient to enrol inside the first year
- Standardised photography at a fixed distance with a scale in frame
- One examiner measuring lid position with the same technique at each visit
What derails it
Margin reflex distance measured with a ruler varies with the patient's brow action and head posture, and children will not hold either; photograph with a scale in frame at a fixed distance so that measurements can be verified later, because unverifiable lid measurements will be queried at assessment.
Topic 35 / 45
Link to this entry
Anatomical patency and symptom relief three months after dacryocystorhinostomy for primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion with a patent lacrimal passage on syringing at three months, with symptom resolution recorded
Collection time
14 to 16 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40 to 70 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A lacrimal surgical caseload and an operating surgeon performing the procedure routinely
- A standard syringing technique and a written definition of patency
- Ear, nose and throat collaboration if an endoscopic approach is included
What derails it
Patency on syringing and relief of watering do not agree, and patients judge success by the watering, so report both outcomes separately and define in the protocol which is primary rather than presenting whichever looks better.
Topic 36 / 45
Link to this entry
Factors associated with fungal rather than bacterial keratitis: a case-control study among culture-positive corneal ulcers
DesignCase-controlFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Odds of exposure to vegetative trauma, prior steroid use and occupational factors in fungal compared with bacterial cases
Collection time
15 to 18 months of enrolment
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50 to 80 cases with a comparable number of controls, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A microbiology service that reliably distinguishes fungal from bacterial growth
- A sufficient culture-positive ulcer caseload, confirmed from the last two years
- A pre-tested exposure schedule covering agricultural work and prior treatment
What derails it
Only a fraction of ulcers are culture-positive and a study restricted to them is a study of a selected group, so report the proportion of all ulcers that entered the study; and a unit that sees fewer than one culture-positive fungal ulcer a week cannot reach the numbers inside the NBEMS window.
Topic 37 / 45
Link to this entry
Uptake of low vision device prescription and its use among patients with irreversible visual impairment
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion using the prescribed device at a stated follow-up interval, with reasons for non-use
Collection time
14 to 16 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60 to 100 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A low vision clinic with a device inventory and trained counselling
- A follow-up visit or telephone interview schedule with a structured question set
- A defined definition of use, in tasks and hours rather than in yes or no
What derails it
A device can be abandoned quietly within weeks when the task the patient wanted it for is not the task it was prescribed for, and patients will not volunteer that to the clinic that issued it; ask about specific daily tasks and have the follow-up done by someone outside the dispensing team.
Topic 38 / 45
Link to this entry
Tear film stability and ocular surface symptoms in the first six weeks after cataract surgery
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Change in tear film break-up time from before surgery to six weeks after, with symptom score
Collection time
10 to 12 months of enrolment and follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80 to 140 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Fluorescein strips and a slit lamp with a cobalt blue filter and a timer
- A symptom questionnaire administered in the same wording each visit
- One examiner performing all measurements at a fixed time of day
What derails it
Post-operative drops themselves, particularly preserved ones, alter the tear film you are measuring, so record the exact drop regimen and the interval since the last instillation at every measurement rather than treating all patients as a uniform exposure.
Topic 39 / 45
Link to this entry
Agreement between Snellen chart and logarithmic chart visual acuity measurement in an outpatient population
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Agreement between the two methods after conversion to a common logarithmic scale, with limits of agreement
Collection time
6 to 8 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 eyes, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Both chart types at the correct testing distance with verified illumination
- Two examiners, each using one chart, masked to the other result
- A fixed order of testing or an alternating order to control for learning
What derails it
Patients can learn the letters between the two tests, so the second reading may improve for that reason alone; alternate which chart is used first and record the order for every eye; without that, your agreement statistics measure memory as much as method.
Topic 40 / 45
Link to this entry
Agreement between non-mydriatic fundus photograph grading and dilated clinical examination for diabetic retinopathy
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Sensitivity and specificity of photograph grading against dilated clinical examination as the reference standard
Collection time
12 months of enrolment
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A fundus camera with a documented non-mydriatic imaging protocol
- A grader reading photographs masked to the clinical examination finding
- A defined rule for ungradable images rather than discarding them silently
What derails it
Non-mydriatic photographs can be ungradable in a meaningful share of eyes because of small pupils and lens opacity, and how you treat those decides the accuracy you report; count ungradable images as a result in their own right, since that proportion is what determines whether such screening is usable locally.
Topic 41 / 45
Link to this entry
Progression of myopia over one year among school children already wearing spectacles
DesignCohortFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Change in spherical equivalent refraction over one year
Collection time
16 to 18 months including the one-year follow-up
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 children, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- School and parental permission for two examinations a year apart
- Cycloplegic refraction at both visits by the same method and examiner
- A tracing plan for children who change school between the visits
What derails it
A one-year follow-up leaves almost no margin in a 26-month thesis, and children change school or are absent on the repeat visit; unless the first round can be completed within the first few months after approval, choose a cross-sectional question instead rather than risk missing the submission date.
Topic 42 / 45
Link to this entry
Colour vision deficiency among applicants screened for occupations with a colour vision requirement
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion failing a standard pseudoisochromatic plate screening, with the type characterised on further testing
Collection time
6 to 8 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 300 to 500 participants, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A current, unfaded set of pseudoisochromatic plates and a defined illuminant
- A secondary test for characterising the deficiency in those who fail
- A counselling plan, since a result can affect a person's employment prospects
What derails it
Plate books fade and the testing illumination matters, so an old set under a tube light produces false failures, and telling a candidate they have failed a colour vision test has consequences you must be ready to counsel; check the plate set and fix the illuminant before the first participant.
Topic 43 / 45
Link to this entry
Adherence to topical antiglaucoma medication and the barriers reported by patients on long-term therapy
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Adherence category on a validated self-report instrument, with reported barriers
Collection time
8 to 10 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 patients, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A glaucoma clinic population on therapy for a stated minimum period
- A validated adherence instrument in the local language
- A check of drop instillation technique, since inability to instil is a barrier in itself
What derails it
An elderly patient with tremor or poor vision may not get the drop into the eye at all and will still report taking it, so observe an actual instillation as part of the assessment rather than relying on the questionnaire alone.
Topic 44 / 45
Link to this entry
Awareness and willingness regarding eye donation among attendants accompanying patients to an eye outpatient department
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion aware of eye donation and the proportion willing to pledge, with stated reasons for unwillingness
Collection time
6 months of collection
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 300 to 450 respondents, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A pre-tested questionnaire in the local language with the reasons list developed locally
- A waiting area where respondents can be interviewed without delaying patient care
- A pledge or information pathway for anyone who asks to register
What derails it
Willingness stated to an interviewer in a hospital is not the same quantity as willingness that survives a family discussion, so ask about the family as well as the individual, and do not present a stated willingness figure as a donation potential, which is a different claim altogether.
Topic 45 / 45
Link to this entry
Interval from advice to cataract surgery and the factors associated with a longer wait at a teaching hospital
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Median interval in days from surgical advice to the date of operation
Collection time
4 to 6 months of record work
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 400 to 800 records, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Outpatient and operation theatre records that can be matched by patient
- A recorded date of surgical advice, not only the date of admission
- Ethics committee waiver of consent for record review
What derails it
The date of advice is the variable most often missing, since only the admission date is reliably recorded, so audit a sample of records for that field before committing; without it the study measures the admission-to-theatre interval, which is a much less interesting question.

The designs

What each design commits you to

The designs in this DNB 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
21 topics
One contact per participant. Usually the quickest to complete, and the design most often chosen when time is short.
Prospective observational
13 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.
Diagnostic accuracy
3 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
20 topics
Achievable in most teaching units with routine caseload and no equipment beyond what is already in use.
Moderate
22 topics
Achievable, but needs either a specific piece of equipment, a collaborating department, or a caseload you should confirm before committing.
Demanding
3 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 DNB 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 — DNB Ophthalmology · Revision 1 · Last reviewed 10 SEPT 2026

Issued by MDThesis, a brand of REDENN Informatics Private Limited

DNB Ophthalmology thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for eachDNB Ophthalmology thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each

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

Corneal endothelial cell density change after phacoemulsification in relation to nuclear cataract grade

Accuracy of intraocular lens power calculation formulas in eyes with short and long axial length

Posterior capsule opacification after cataract surgery with two intraocular lens designs, assessed at a defined post-operative interval

Intraoperative complications during resident-performed cataract surgery and their association with case characteristics

Anterior chamber inflammation on the first post-operative day after cataract surgery with and without intracameral antibiotic prophylaxis

Dry eye symptoms and tear film parameters among young adults with prolonged digital screen exposure

Clinical features of meibomian gland dysfunction among patients attending an ophthalmology outpatient department with ocular surface complaints

Recurrence after pterygium excision with conjunctival autograft at six months

Clinical and microbiological profile of infective corneal ulcers presenting to a tertiary eye care unit

Corneal topographic and pachymetric characteristics of eyes with keratoconus at presentation

Visual and topographic outcome six months after corneal collagen cross-linking for progressive keratoconus

Retinal nerve fibre layer thickness on optical coherence tomography in relation to perimetric severity in primary open angle glaucoma

Central corneal thickness and its relation to Goldmann applanation intraocular pressure in patients attending a glaucoma clinic

Intraocular pressure change in patients on topical corticosteroid therapy for anterior segment disease

Intraocular pressure control and complications six months after trabeculectomy with adjunctive antimetabolite

Anterior chamber angle findings on gonioscopy among patients with primary angle closure disease attending a glaucoma clinic

Diabetic retinopathy grade and its relation to duration of diabetes among patients attending a diabetes clinic

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

Visual and anatomical response three months after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy compared with macular laser in centre-involving diabetic macular oedema

Retinopathy of prematurity on screening among preterm neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit

Refractive errors and spectacle compliance among school children in an urban area

Compliance with occlusion therapy among children treated for amblyopia and the reasons for non-compliance

Ocular alignment three months after surgery for horizontal concomitant strabismus

Application of an ocular trauma score to predict visual outcome after open globe injury

Pattern of ocular injuries presenting to an eye casualty over three years: a record-based study

Vision-related quality of life before and six weeks after cataract surgery, using a validated instrument

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

Retinal changes in patients with systemic hypertension and their relation to blood pressure category

Clinical activity and severity of thyroid eye disease among patients with thyroid dysfunction attending an endocrine clinic

Clinical pattern and aetiological work-up outcome in patients presenting with uveitis

Clinical and microbiological features of acute infective conjunctivitis in an outpatient setting

Contact lens wearing practices and reported complications among regular soft contact lens users

Lid position outcome three months after surgery for simple congenital or acquired ptosis

Anatomical patency and symptom relief three months after dacryocystorhinostomy for primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction

Factors associated with fungal rather than bacterial keratitis: a case-control study among culture-positive corneal ulcers

Uptake of low vision device prescription and its use among patients with irreversible visual impairment

Tear film stability and ocular surface symptoms in the first six weeks after cataract surgery

Agreement between Snellen chart and logarithmic chart visual acuity measurement in an outpatient population

Agreement between non-mydriatic fundus photograph grading and dilated clinical examination for diabetic retinopathy

Progression of myopia over one year among school children already wearing spectacles

Colour vision deficiency among applicants screened for occupations with a colour vision requirement

Adherence to topical antiglaucoma medication and the barriers reported by patients on long-term therapy

Awareness and willingness regarding eye donation among attendants accompanying patients to an eye outpatient department

Interval from advice to cataract surgery and the factors associated with a longer wait at a teaching hospital

What the feasibility mark means

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

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