Cornea, External Diseases & Refractive Surgery

The Cornea and External Disease Fellowships, which also includes a program-option to offer refractive surgery training, joined the AUPO FCC compliance process in 2005. The Fellowships are designed to provide a more focused and in-depth education of anterior segment disease than can be offered during ophthalmology residency training. The scope of the training includes the diagnosis and medical management of diseases of the lids, conjunctiva, cornea/sclera and anterior ocular segment, as well as recognition and treatment of posterior segment disease that may affect the anterior segment; surgery of the conjunctiva, cornea/sclera, anterior segment, lens, and anterior vitreous, with special emphasis on corneal transplantation and related surgical procedures; principles and practice of keratorefractive surgery; and principles of contact lens fitting and management of complications of contact lens wear.

Compliance with the AUPO FCC requirement is a voluntary process with the goal to set a uniform educational standard, and protect the trainees, institutions and public. Currently thirty-six fellowships in cornea, external disease and refractive surgery and sixteen fellowships in cornea and external disease alone are in active compliance with the AUPO FCC. The requirements of these two types of fellowship programs are set forth by a committee administered by the Cornea Society to ensure that the trainees obtain adequate clinical, surgical and academic experience by the conclusion of their fellowship to function as a specialist in Cornea and External Ophthalmic Diseases. Graduating fellows are required to complete a Fellow Exit Survey about their fellowship experience and the Fellowships undergo a comprehensive review every 3 years by the AUPO FCC Review Committee to ensure that the Fellowships and Faculty continue to be in compliance with the program requirements for the cornea subspecialty.

Applications of the AUPO FCC compliant Fellowships in the cornea subspecialty are available through the SF Match Fellowship Centralized Application Services. Fellowship programs that wish to apply for AUPO FCC compliance can access the application in the New Program Applicants tab on the AUPO FCC website.