Moorfields Dubai hosts ‘World Association of Eye Hospitals’ board meeting and highlights the benefits of global collaboration in eye care
16 October 2018 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates): Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, the first overseas branch of the world-renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital London, will host the 2018 board meeting of the World Association of Eye Hospitals on Sunday November 4th at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, which is located in Dubai Healthcare City. The meeting will bring together senior representatives of 10 of the member organisations from around the world and highlights the benefits of collaboration between the world’s leading eye hospitals and centres of excellence in ophthalmology.
The World Association of Eye Hospitals (WAEH) is a global association of more than 45 stand alone eye hospitals and ophthalmology departments of university hospitals from South America to the USA and Europe, Asia and Eurasia. Members of the WAEH exchange knowledge and experience and implement the new ideas and innovations in their own individual eye hospitals. The Dubai board meeting will create the opportunity for the exchange of views on eye care innovations in the region and how they may improve eye patient outcomes around the world.
Some of the outcomes of the work of the WAEH include a joint benchmarking system to continuously measure and compare data on patient outcomes, efficiency and productivity, quality and trends. The outcomes of the analyses can be used by the individual member eye hospitals to improve their own individual hospitals. The WAEH has also facilitated the exchange of nursing staff between the member hospitals resulting in process and care delivery improvements, and the joint development of protocols between ophthalmologists and nurses to improve glaucoma care.
David Probert, CEO of Moorfields Eye Hospital and Chair of the WAEH, commented: “The major global trends in healthcare such as digital transformation, AI, stem cell treatments, the application of Big Data and data analytics, and the use of Virtual Reality, also impact eye hospitals. The UAE is one of the leaders in healthcare innovation and the Dubai board meeting provides the opportunity to showcase the Emirate’s world class healthcare facilities and capabilities. The WAEH plays a vital role in facilitating the exchange of knowledge and best practice which can ultimately benefit patients and it’s a great honour for Moorfields to host this important meeting.”
Teaching session for our healthcare professionals in October, 2018
Red Reflex Assessment
The red reflex test is a non-invasive test that can identify early warning signs of serious eye conditions in children, such as cataract (white water), glaucoma (blue water) and retinoblastoma (childhood eye cancer). Your paediatric ophthalmologist will perform a red reflex test using an ophthalmoscope; a magnifying instrument with a bright light.
Preparation for the test
A detailed history will be taken by a nurse prior to the test. It summarises the birth history, any medical conditions, allergies and family medical history. The nurse will also assess the child’s vital signs and weight.
The paediatric ophthalmologist will need to dilate the patients pupils prior to the test; this allows a better view of the eye.
The eyedrops are given three times, with ten minute intervals between doses.
Once dilated the paediatric ophthalmologist will perform the assessment and will immediately discuss the findings with you.
What to expect after the procedure
Possible side effects of the dilating drops:
- Temporary irritation
- Some sensitivity to light
- Allergic reaction such as red eyes and watering of the eyes
Moorfields marks World Sight Day with community events and intensive patient follow-ups as patient numbers set to peak during October
7 October 2018 (Dubai – United Arab Emirates): Moorfields is marking World Sight Day 2018 with a series of community events and an intense series of patient follow-ups during the month, when the hospital expects to see almost 3,000 patients. Moorfields’ permanent local consultants will be teaming up with visiting sub-specialists from Moorfields London to enable joint consultations and cross-referrals for patients during the month of World Sight Day. Moorfields is the world’s leading eye hospital and the first specialist eye hospital in the world.
The hospital routinely treats the most complex and challenging patient cases facilitated by the close collaboration between the teams from the two Moorfields hospitals, providing a very broad range and depth of specialist expertise. The Moorfields consultants specialise in retinal eye disease, cornea and refractive vision correction surgery, genetic eye disease, vitreoretinal surgery, uveitis, glaucoma, oculoplastic surgery, adult and paediatric eye tumours, and an ocularist who makes artificial eyes. Every Moorfields consultant is a world-leading practitioner and researcher in her or his respective specialist field.
The team of consultants will hold close to 3,000 patient consultations during October, with patients coming from Europe, Africa and the Middle East for the opportunity to meet teams of Moorfields consultants in the UAE – in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Dr Mariya Moosajee is a Consultant Ophthalmologist, an eminent researcher specialising in Genetic Eye Disease, and one of the Visiting Consultants to Moorfields Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where she is launching a new genetic service in the UAE to provide patients with genetic testing and enable access to the latest information on drug and gene therapy trials to treat inherited eye diseases. Dr Moosajee is already consulting patients in the UAE who are undergoing genetic testing to identify the cause of retinal disease and enable access to clinical trials that may be able to offer a treatment for their blinding condition.
Elhadi Hassan, Managing Director, Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, said: “Long term continuity of care is an essential element of treatment for serious eye conditions and this requires regular follow up with the lead consultant supported by other specialists, who may be needed. Our ability to bring our London expertise in support of the local team of consultants means that patients can be examined, diagnosed, cross referred and treated by a multi-specialist team of consultants on site, making access very easy and convenient for patients from across the region, over the long term, even for the most complex cases.”
In addition, Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai will support and partner the ExpatWoman annual breakfast at Burj Al Arab on October 14th, where a Moorfields consultant will speak on eye beauty and health in celebration of World Sight Day.