Reflecting

9/27/2021

Throughout the past month, I have been expanding my knowledge of the pediatric ophthalmology field. I have researched many interesting aspects of the field, including specific procedures and technology. This week, I completed an official topic proposal, which led me to reflect on my reasons for choosing pediatric ophthalmology as my topic of study. I considered the characteristics that made me fit for the field, as well as those that conflicted with the environment that I would encounter. For the most part, I realized my background contributed the most to my interest in the topic. With a childhood of nearsightedness, I developed a curiosity for the field. My experience helped me realize how impactful technology and professionals are on pediatric lives. Additionally, my passion for working with children has led me to see the importance of helping children reach their full potential, which pediatric ophthalmology guides and makes possible. Overall, my topic proposal helped me fully understand that pediatric ophthalmology is the right choice of study for me. Additionally, I continued my research this week, with a focus on the technology used for cataract surgery. I learned about numerous advancements made to improve the accuracy of pediatric cataracts, in addition to areas that need further research. One important and interesting aspect is that many times, adult cataract research is directly applied to pediatric cataracts with some undercalculations. This reveals how the pediatric ophthalmology field is in need of more direct research. I am eager to learn more about this process and advancements being made in pediatric ophthalmology as I further explore my topic of study.