About Red reflex Assessment
The red reflex test is vital, 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) and high refractive errors. Infants or children in whom parents or other observers describe a history suspicious for the presence of leukocoria (a white pupil reflex) in one or both eyes should be examined because small retinoblastoma tumors or other serious lesions may present in a subtle fashion.
The red reflex test uses transmission of light from an ophthalmoscope through all the normally transparent parts of the eye, including the tear film, cornea, aqueous humor, crystalline lens, and vitreous humor. This light reflects off the ocular fundus, the interior surface of the eye opposite the lens which is transmitted back through the optical media and through the aperture of the ophthalmoscope, and is imaged in the eye of the examiner. Any factor that obstructs this optical pathway will result in an abnormality of the red reflex.
An abnormal red reflex can result from corneal opacities, aqueous opacities, iris abnormalities affecting the pupillary aperture (pupil), cataracts, vitreous opacities, and retinal abnormalities including tumors or chorio-retinal coloboma. Unequal or high refractive errors (need for glasses) and strabismus (eye misalignment) may also produce abnormalities or asymmetry of the red reflex. There may be significant variation in the red reflex in children from different racial or ethnic groups resulting from their differing levels of pigmentation of the ocular fundus.
Red Reflex Assessment – Early Eye Health Screening for Children Specialists
Dr. Suhair Twaij
Consultant Ophthalmologist in Adult & Paediatric Strabismus Surgery, Paediatric Ophthalmology, Adult Cataract SurgeryGCAA Approved Specialist Aviation Medical Examiner
Brief intro
Dr Suhair Twaij is a Consultant Ophthalmologist with expertise in adult and paediatric Strabismus surgery, Paediatric Ophthalmology, adult Cataract Surgery and General Ophthalmology at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai in Dubai Healthcare City. She has more than 20 years of regional and international experience in ophthalmology, including the UK and UAE.
Areas of Expertise
Visit Profile - Adult and paediatric strabismus (squint) surgery using adjustable surgery technique
- Complex strabismus surgery, including adjustable suture techniques where appropriate
- General paediatric ophthalmology, including eyelid disorders and watery eyes, including probing and syringing with and without tubes and developmental cataract.
- Myopia management.
- Double vision management using prisms, surgical treatment, and others.
- Adult cataract surgery phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation.
- Botox treatment for strabismus and double vision.
- Botox treatment for blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm
- General ophthalmology disorders for adults, including eyelid disorders, dry eye disease, blepharoplasty upper eyelid, diabetic retinopathy assessment and others
- YAG laser for capsular opacification
- Medical degree from Baghdad University Medical School, Iraq
- Ophthalmology specialist training in England and Northern Ireland, UK
- Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in Ophthalmology, UK
- Fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (FRCOphth)
- Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in Ophthalmology (FRCS Ophth Glasg)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Cataract & Refractive Surgery, University of Ulster UK
- Member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth)
- Member of the British & Irish Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Association (BIPOSA)
- Member of the European Strabismological Association (ESA)
- Published research indexed in MEDLINE across a range of ophthalmology topics
- Research includes medical retina, paediatric ophthalmology and oculoplastics
Dr. Salma Yassine
Consultant Ophthalmologist in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Adult & Paediatric Neuro-ophthalmology
Dr. Salma Yassine is a Consultant Ophthalmologist, specialising in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Adult and Paediatric Neuro-Ophthalmology at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai in Healthcare City Dubai. With international clinical experience in Lebanon and the United States, Dr. Salma has completed advanced fellowship training in neuro-ophthalmology, paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus. Her combined expertise enables her to assess eye conditions involving children’s vision, eye alignment and the relationship between the eyes, optic nerves and brain.
She also holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Operations from Harvard Medical School, complementing her clinical expertise with advanced training in healthcare delivery and clinical operations.
Areas of Expertise
Visit Profile - Paediatric ophthalmology (pediatric ophthalmology)
- Adult neuro-ophthalmology
- Paediatric neuro-ophthalmology
- Children’s eye care
- Squint and eye misalignment (strabismus)
- Neuro-ophthalmic assessment
- Eye, optic nerve and brain-related visual conditions
- Bachelor of Science with High Distinction from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon
- Medical degree from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon
- Ophthalmology residency at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon
- Fellowship in Neuro-Ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota, USA,
- Fellowship in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
- Master’s degree in Clinical Operations from Harvard Medical School, USA
- Member of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS)
- Member of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS)
- Member of the Lebanese Ophthalmological Society (LOS)
- Research in intracranial hypertension and nanophthalmos
- Published research on nystagmus and nanophthalmos in leading scientific journals
Dr. Muhammad Irfan Khan
Consultant Ophthalmic surgeon in Paediatric Ophthalmology and adult StrabismusChief of Paediatric Ophthalmology
Dr. Muhammad Irfan Khan is a highly experienced consultant Ophthalmic surgeon specialising in Paediatric Ophthalmology at Moorfields Eye Hospitals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
He earned three postgraduate degrees from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists London: DRCOphth, MRCOphth, and FRCOphth in 2013, along with a Paediatric Ophthalmology fellowship from the renowned Hospital for Sick Children, SickKids, Toronto, Canada.
With over 20 years of clinical and surgical experience, Dr. Irfan has practised in several countries, including Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the UAE. His career includes roles at institutions such as the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, SickKids in Toronto, and Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi.
His subspecialty training includes managing complex paediatric eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and retinopathy of prematurity. He is also experienced in paediatric anterior segment reconstruction and common paediatric oculoplastics.
For adult patients, Dr. Irfan is particularly adept in performing adjustable suture squint surgeries, a technique that allows for precise postoperative alignment adjustments. This approach significantly improves outcomes for adults undergoing strabismus surgery, enhancing both visual function and cosmetic results.
He has undertaken research in the field of Ophthalmology and has published ten research papers and one book chapter in Childhood neurology.
He is a member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists London and an International member of the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. In 2015, he received the JD Moran Award from the Hospital of Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.
Visit Profile
Dr. Christiane Al Haddad
Visiting Consultant Ophthalmologist in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus
Brief Intro
Dr. Christiane is a visiting Professor of Ophthalmology, specialised in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai.
She is currently the division head of paediatric ophthalmology at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, with more than 20 years of regional and international experience across Lebanon and the United States, and advanced subspecialty training at Children’s National Medical Centre and Duke Eye Centre.
Areas of Expertise
Visit Profile - Paediatric ophthalmology
- Lazy eye (Amblyopia)
- Squint (strabismus)
- Progressive myopia
- Paediatric cataracts and glaucoma
- Paediatric genetic eye diseases
- Retinoblastoma
- Adult strabismus, thyroid eye disease and cranial nerve palsies
- Doctor of Medicine from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon
- Ophthalmology Residency at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon
- Fellowship in Paediatric Ophthalmology at Children’s National Medical Centre, Washington, DC, USA
- Fellowship in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus at Duke Eye Centre, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Member of the American Association for Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
- Member of the International Strabismological Association
- Member of the Costenbader Society
- Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of the Paediatric Ophthalmology Division at the Ophthalmology Department, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
- Established the retinoblastoma programme with the oncology team at the Children’s Cancer Centre of the American University of Beirut in collaboration with St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, USA
- Conducted extensive research in paediatric ophthalmology with more than 80 publications in peer-reviewed journals on topics of amblyopia, strabismus, genetic eye diseases, retinoblastoma, congenital glaucoma, vision screening, eye-tracking technology and machine learning models
- Research published in leading journals including the British Journal of Ophthalmology, American Journal of Ophthalmology, Journal of AAPOS, Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology
Dr. Alaa Bou Ghannam
Visiting Specialist Ophthalmologist in Neuro-Ophthalmology, Paediatric Ophthalmology, Paediatric Glaucoma & Adult Strabismus
Brief intro
Dr. Alaa is a visiting specialist in neuro-ophthalmology, paediatric ophthalmology, paediatric glaucoma, and adult strabismus at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai. He has more than 10 years of regional and international experience in countries including Lebanon, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
Areas of Expertise
Visit Profile - Neuro-ophthalmology
- Paediatric ophthalmology
- Paediatric glaucoma
- Adult strabismus
- Bachelor of Science with High Distinction from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon
- Medical degree from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon
- Ophthalmology residency at the American University of Beirut Medical Centre
- Fellowship in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus at Children’s National Health System and George Washington Hospital, Washington DC, USA
- Fellowship in Neuro-Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado, USA
- Member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
- Member of the Lebanese Ophthalmological Society (LOS)
- Member of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS)
- Member of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS)
- Research in clinical ophthalmology and neurology
- Published more than a dozen research papers and book chapters
- Research topics include strabismus, optic nerve diseases, paediatric glaucoma, paediatric ophthalmology, ocular electrophysiology and nystagmus
- Published in leading medical journals
Dr. Syed M. Asad Ali
Consultant Ophthalmologist in Paediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus (squint) and Cataract Surgery
Syed Ali is a Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist with extensive experience in the management of all paediatric eye conditions including congenital eye diseases, paediatric cataracts, paediatric glaucoma, trauma and all types of squints in children and adults.
Syed works with advanced technology and techniques. He has over 10 years of extensive experience in screening and treating retinopathy of prematurity with retinal laser and intravitreal anti VEGF injection. He has wealth of experience in phacoemulsification procedures.
Syed Ali trained and has practiced in the UK and Pakistan and has over 18 years of experience in ophthalmology. After completing his basic specialist training, he undertook a fellowship in paediatric ophthalmology and ocular motility at the world renowned Wolverhampton Eye Infirmary, UK. His training in Pakistan and the UK is recognised by the General Medical Council (GMC) and was placed on specialist register.
In addition to his clinical experience, Syed has undertaken published original research and teaching in his specialist area, including as an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology.
He is a member of several professional bodies including The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, American Academy of Ophthalmology, The British Medical Association, Medical Defense Union and Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh.
Visit Profile
Dr. Muhammad Irfan Khan
Consultant Ophthalmic surgeon in Paediatric Ophthalmology and adult StrabismusChief of Paediatric Ophthalmology
Dr. Muhammad Irfan Khan is a highly experienced consultant Ophthalmic surgeon specialising in Paediatric Ophthalmology at Moorfields Eye Hospitals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
He earned three postgraduate degrees from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists London: DRCOphth, MRCOphth, and FRCOphth in 2013, along with a Paediatric Ophthalmology fellowship from the renowned Hospital for Sick Children, SickKids, Toronto, Canada.
With over 20 years of clinical and surgical experience, Dr. Irfan has practised in several countries, including Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the UAE. His career includes roles at institutions such as the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, SickKids in Toronto, and Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi.
His subspecialty training includes managing complex paediatric eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and retinopathy of prematurity. He is also experienced in paediatric anterior segment reconstruction and common paediatric oculoplastics.
For adult patients, Dr. Irfan is particularly adept in performing adjustable suture squint surgeries, a technique that allows for precise postoperative alignment adjustments. This approach significantly improves outcomes for adults undergoing strabismus surgery, enhancing both visual function and cosmetic results.
He has undertaken research in the field of Ophthalmology and has published ten research papers and one book chapter in Childhood neurology.
He is a member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists London and an International member of the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. In 2015, he received the JD Moran Award from the Hospital of Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.
Visit Profile
