The examination at the Sussex Eye Hospital was a major feat of organisation for all the staff and not least consultant Bruce McLeod who had spent nine months preparing for it.

Examinations for the Membership of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists Part 2 take place twice a year at various selected venues throughout the country.

This is the first time that the Sussex Eye Hospital has hosted these national examinations that are designed to test the candidates clinical skills and require the presence of a large number of volunteer patients.

Bruce McLeod, the local organiser and member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologist Examinations Subcommittee, and fellow examiner Sarah Vickers say they were very grateful to the people of Brighton and Hove for readily giving up their valuable time and attending to be examined.

268 patients, 138 candidates and 32 national examiners attended. "Preparations for this examination started nine months before the event," Bruce McLeod said. "The secretarial, nursing and administrative staff at the Sussex Eye Hospital have risen to the challenge and provided an excellent venue for this very major occasion".

After written and theoretical papers taken at the Corn Exchange on Monday 13th June, the candidates underwent Objectively Structured Clinical Examinations and Practical Refraction Examination at the Sussex Eye Hospital on June 14th-16th.