Moorfields Eye Hospital London and Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai join forces for a professional medical symposium on children’s eye conditions

[:en]17 May 2015 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates): Leading eye experts from Moorfields Eye Hospital in London and Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai are joining forces for a symposium on paediatric ophthalmology, covering some of the most serious children’s eye conditions, for eye care professionals in the Middle East. The symposium will take place at the Shangri-La Hotel Dubai on Tuesday, May 19th and will award CME (Continuing Medical Education) credits to participants. The symposium will be supported by Novartis, the healthcare solutions company.
The paediatric ophthalmology symposium will cover four main areas – external eye disease and corneal disorders, Uveitis, Cataracts, and Glaucoma.

• External disease includes conditions relating to the outside of the eyeball, such as the cornea, iris and sclera (the tough outer layer of the eye).
• Uveitis is inflammation of the middle layer of the eye (the uvea or uveal tract) resulting in a painful red eye and cloudy vision, caused by injury, infection or underlying disease. If untreated, eyesight can be seriously damaged. Intermediate uveitis tends to occur in children, teenagers and young adults.
• Cataract is a common eye condition, in which the lens become progressively opaque, resulting in blurred vision.
• Glaucoma signs and symptoms include increased pressure within the eyeball, which can cause gradual loss of sight, if left untreated.

Dr Melanie Hingorani, Consultant Ophthalmologist with a special interest in paediatric ophthalmology, strabismus & ocular motility, Moorfields Eye Hospital London, will participate in the symposium in collaboration with colleagues from Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai – Dr Avi Gurbaxani, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon in Uveitis and Medical Retinal Diseases; Dr Sohaib Mustafa, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Glaucoma Surgeon; and Dr Darakhshanda Khurram, Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist.
Commenting on the paediatric symposium, Dr Darakshanda Khurram said: “Paediatric eye surgery can be much more complex than in adults because a child’s eye is smaller and weaker, with potential complications in recovery and post surgical visual rehabilitation. However, diagnosing and treating eye conditions at an early age can lead to very good results and allow the child able to recover and develop without any problems. Cataract surgery can be done on infants from as young as eight weeks old. Over the last 10 years, outcomes have improved for children undergoing treatment such as paediatric cataract surgery, for a number of reasons. Firstly, a better understanding of the physiology of the young eye, especially the infant eye; and secondly, the introduction of better surgical techniques which have enhanced safety and efficacy. As the new surgical techniques evolve and new tools become available, children with vision impairment now have the chance of improved sight and improved quality of life.”