Caring Bedside Manner And Attention Of Doctors At Moorfields Eye Hospital Praised By Patient Treated For Vision And Life-Threatening Tumor

1 August 2019, Dubai – United Arab Emirates: Shadi Z credits the care, attention and expertise of doctors at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai with helping him to cope with the shock of being diagnosed with a potentially vision and life-threatening condition.
The 43-year-old from Jordan visited the specialist eye hospital after suffering from weak vision and headaches.
Shadi, who works as an MEP Manager in Dubai, initially ignored the problem, putting it down to long hours using a computer in the office and stress at work.
However, when the issue persisted, he was persuaded to visit Moorfields by concerned friends and colleagues from the UK.
Shadi was assessed by Dr. Luisa Sastre, Specialist Ophthalmologist in Medical Retina at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai. After the initial assessment, Dr. Luisa ordered multiple tests to be carried out in order to diagnose the problem. The first one was a refraction test, which measures an individual’s prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses, done by optometrist, Mr. Taisear Alqwaqezah. After trials with a number of lenses, Mr. Taisear knew that the problem was not just with Shadi’s vision and proceeded to share the results with Dr. Luisa.
Among the tests ordered was a procedure named a visual field test. This ultimately showed that Shadi had lost his vision in the outer half of both his right and left visual fields. This partial blindness is called bitemporal hemianopsia and almost always occurs as a result of direct compression to a visual structure called the optic chiasm.
As a result of this, Dr. Luisa ordered a brain CT scan, which showed that Shadi had a pituitary macroadenoma – a tumor of the pituitary gland that was compressing the optic chiasm.
The pituitary gland is located behind the bridge of the nose and is attached to the base of the brain by a thin stalk. It secretes a large number of hormones and controls other hormone glands such as the adrenals, the thyroid, the ovaries and the testicles.
Potentially a life threatening condition, pituitary tumors, if left untreated, can result in headaches, significant visual problems and a host of other serious symptoms derived from an increase or a decrease in the production of important hormones.
While the news came as a shock to Shadi, Dr. Luisa looked to comfort her patient, explaining clearly the process of the procedure required to remove the tumor and the amount of recovery time that was required. She continued to reassure Shadi of the improvements he would witness after the procedure and about how his eyesight would improve.
“Dr Luisa was very professional,” said Shadi. “She spoke directly with me and explained the medical terms and procedures. She also explained how tests assisted in identifying the problem and how the findings were linked to symptoms. Her professional approach was very clear and based on many years of experience.”
Dr. Luisa holds a Board Certification in Intensive Care Medicine and in her years of working in Intensive Care Units (ICU), she has helped to take care of many patients like Shadi when they were admitted to the ICU after neurosurgery to remove the pituitary tumors.
“She knew exactly the process I was going to undergo and she explained to me how the tumor was going to be removed through my nose and how easygoing the post-op was going to be. That was a great relief.”
“After being diagnosed correctly by Dr. Luisa and Mr. Taisear, they also assisted in recommending the next steps and went even further by advising the appropriate medical provider with the specific skills required to perform the procedure,” said Shadi.
“This was highly appreciated and had a great impact in finding a solution for my problem in record time. All this gave me great confidence in their care.”
Soon after, Shadi successfully underwent the procedure to remove the tumor at a general hospital in Dubai.
Care for Shadi did simply not halt after his procedure. The team at Moorfields was in constant communication with the patient to assess his recovery and carry out regular check-ups. An aftercare service that helped Shadi to get back on his feet.
“Even after my treatment, I was obliged to provide feedback to Dr. Luisa and Mr. Taisear, as I felt that they wanted to know and cared about knowing how I was recovering and feeling after surgery,” said Shadi.
“This exceeded the usual professional relationship that doctors and patients share. It was very caring and filled with genuine concern. It was medical care at its best.”
Shadi now attends Moorfields for regular check-ups with staff to receive ongoing health advice to aid his recovery.
Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai provides world-class outpatient diagnostic and treatment for the full range of both surgical and non-surgical related eye conditions, for both adults and children. From basic screenings and eye health checks, to retinal surgery, laser refractive surgery, cataracts, corneal grafts, diabetic retinopathy treatment, squint correction surgery, oculoplastic surgery, genetic eye disease consultations alongside counseling, and even ocular oncology services through permanent and visiting consultants.