Dr. Ammar Safar
MD, FACS
Chief Medical Officer and Consultant Ophthalmologist & Vitreoretinal Surgeon
GCAA Approved Specialist Aviation Medical Examiner
Professor of Ophthalmology (Adjunct)
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Dr Ammar Safar – Consultant Ophthalmologist, Moorfields Dubai
Dr. Ammar Safar is an American Board-Certified Ophthalmologist specialising in vitreoretinal diseases and surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai in Dubai Healthcare City.
He is currently an adjunct Professor of Ophthalmology at Mohammad Bin Rashed University and the Chief Medical Officer of Moorfields Eye Hospitals in the United Arab Emirates.
Dr. Safar undertook his medical training in Syria before moving to the United States for post-graduate training. He specialised in Ophthalmology at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where he also served as a Chief Resident. He then acquired an additional 2-year fellowship training in Vitreoretinal Diseases & Surgery at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, USA. Dr. Ammar then went on to hold the position of Assistant and later Associate Professor and Director of Vitreoretinal Surgery at the Department of Ophthalmology, Jones Eye Institute, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, in the United States. He then relocated to the UAE, where he was a Consultant Vitreoretinal Surgeon and President of Medical Staff at a private general hospital in Dubai. In addition to his work in private practice, Dr. Ammar has undertaken research and clinical trials in areas such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related eye diseases and published and presented extensively. His research has also resulted in advances in retinal vascular diseases (discovering new management options for diabetic retinopathy and vascular occlusive disorders) and macular degeneration (new approaches for treating exudative macular degeneration).
Among his many honorary awards, Dr. Ammar was the inaugural recipient of The Martha Wood Bentley endowed Chair of Ophthalmology at the University of Arkansas. He is a member of several professional associations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Retina Specialists, the European Society of Retina Specialists, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, The Association for Research In Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Arab-American Medical Association, Research to Prevent Blindness, and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Services Provided by Dr. Ammar Safar
Adult & paediatric cataracts
Aviation Ophthalmology
Diabetic Maculopathy
About
Diabetic maculopathy is a condition that occurs when the macula, the part of the eye which provides us with our central vision is damaged. The macula is responsible for fine vision (reading, writing, watching television, and recognising faces). Patients with diabetes may develop macular oedema (swelling of the retina) due to leaking of fluid from blood vessels. This causes the vision to become blurred.
Diabetic Retinopathy
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is a serious complication of long-term uncontrolled diabetes resulting from persistently high blood sugar levels over the years. This condition affects the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, impairing its ability to transmit clear images to the brain through the optic nerve.
At Moorfields Eye Hospitals, our retina specialists in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have extensive sub-speciality training in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy. Using the latest retinal imaging and advanced therapeutic techniques, they provide tailored care to slow disease progression, protect sight, and support patients in maintaining their long-term eye health and quality of life.
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
About Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
The central part of the retina (at the back of the eye) is called the macula and it has an important function as it controls the quality and sharpness of the central part of our vision.
Macular degeneration is a condition that affects the macula resulting in distortion or sometimes loss of central vision (not the peripheral vision) and this can cause problems, when it comes to everyday tasks such as reading and driving.
The good news is that the deterioration of vision usually happens quite slowly.
However, there are two types of macular degeneration – ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ – and what is known as the ‘wet’ form results in a sudden loss of central vision, which is a medical emergency and urgent treatment is needed.
Macula
The macula is a small, extremely important area at the centre of the retina, the light-sensing tissue at the back of the eye and is responsible for seeing fine details clearly. With AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration), you lose the ability to see fine details and lose the ability to distinguish details. AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration) affects only the central vision. Side and peripheral vision usually remains normal. For example, people with AMD gradually lose the ability to recognise people’s faces.
Retinal Detachment Surgery
About Retinal Detachment Surgery
Retinal detachment is a condition when the thin lining at the back of the eye (the retina) begins to come away and separate itself from the underlying wall of the eye which contains blood vessels that supply it with vital oxygen and nutrients.
If not treated promptly, retinal detachment will lead to blindness in the affected eye.
A retinal detachment is usually caused by a tear in the retina and this is termed a Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. There are other types of retinal detachment namely Traction retinal detachment which is usually seen in advanced diabetic retinopathy and Exudative retinal detachment (usually seen in people with inflammation). It is the Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment which needs urgent surgery in most cases.
Intravitreal Injection
About Intravitreal Injection
The macula is the central part of the retina at the back of the eye. It is responsible for fine vision (reading, writing, watching television, and recognising faces). Patients with diabetes may develop macular oedema (swelling of the retina) due to leaking of fluid from blood vessels which can result in the vision becoming blurred.
Diabetic macular oedema
Diabetic eye disease is a leading cause of blindness. It is caused by changes to the tiny blood vessels of the retina (the light sensitive layer at the back of the eye). In diabetic macular oedema, blood vessels leak fluid into the retina.
Macular Hole Surgery
About Macular Hole Surgery
If you think of your eye as a camera, the retina is like the photographic film. It is a very thin layer of tissue, which is sensitive to the image focused on it, sending the information to the brain.
At the very centre of the retina is the macula. This is a very special area of the retina, which we use for reading and recognising complex shapes. Sometimes, a hole forms in the macula, which prevents it from working normally. This affects your vision, particularly for reading and other visually demanding tasks, but it does not cause total blindness.
Posterior Vitreous Detachment
About Posterior Vitreous Detachment
Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD) is a common degenerative change, which affects one or both eyes in many people after middle age. It may present earlier in shortsighted patients or those who have sustained traumas to the eyes.
Thickening of the jelly casts shadows on the retina and are seen as floating shapes. These black “floaters “in your vision move with the eye and then settle as the eye rests. These are often described by patients as a “cobweb” or “insects”.
You may also be aware of flashing lights, like little flickers in the outer periphery. Usually these do not highlight a problem, however, it is important to have the eye thoroughly checked, as occasionally a retinal tear or a retinal detachment may occur.
Retinal Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
About Retinal Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment that uses a combination of a “cold” laser and a special light-sensitive dye (Verteporfin). This is injected into the blood stream to target abnormal leaking blood vessels in the retina (nerve tissue lining at the back of the eye which detects light and allows us to see) or the layer below the retina (choroid). PDT is used in the treatment of some specific forms of wet macular degeneration and a disease called ‘Central Serous Retinopathy’ (CSR).
Retinal Vein Occlusion
About Retinal Vein Occlusion
Blocking of the retinal vein which reduces the vision is known as Retinal Vein Occlusion. This results in the accumulation of blood (retinal hemorrhages) and fluid (macular edema) in the retina and leads to a drop in the visual acuity (clarity of vision).
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