Episode Details

Space, the final frontier. A new domain for the podcast opens, as we learn how astronauts are preparing for Mars transit by lying in bed. But first - the ophthalmology department refers a patient with a swollen optic disc. When is it papilloedema, and when is it not? And what does that have to do with Martian panoramas?

In this editors' choice podcast, PN podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell interviews Prof. Susan Mollan¹ ², last author of the paper, "How to diagnose papilloedema", published in the August 2026 edition of the journal.

From crashing visual loss to pulsatile tinnitus, they discuss the signs in a patient history which can build a picture of their condition. There's a practical walkthrough of the key elements of the eye exam, as well as discussion of the modern tools that are available to assist. Sometimes backup is needed, and Prof. Mollan explain when it's the right time to call the ophthalmologists back, and how to buy yourself extra time on a late Friday shift.

Further reading:

• Fundoscopy: to dilate or not to dilate?

1. Ophthalmology Department, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
2. Metabolic and Systems Science, University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences, Birmingham, England, UK

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This episode was hosted by PN's podcast editor Dr. Amy Ross Russell. Production by Amy Ross Russell and Brian O'Toole. Editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.