Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai offers free eye consultations to TECOM staff and partners, in support of Dubai Healthcare City’s health check campaign

[:en]14 September 2010 (Dubai, UAE): Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (Moorfields), the Dubai branch of the world renowned London hospital for eye treatment, teaching and research, is offering free eye consultations in support of the health check campaign by Dubai Healthcare City.
Dubai Healthcare City’s Health Check program 2010 will offer free lunchtime consultations with doctors covering a range of health-related matters in different TECOM Business Parks, for a total of eight weeks. The consultations will be by appointment on a first response basis.
Moorfields has committed to providing free eye care checks through the full day on Wednesday 15th September 2010, from 0900-16.30pm, at Dubai Knowledge Village (Block 2A. room 4). Dr Imran Ansari, General Ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, will be conducting the eye checks. All appointments for the day have been booked.
Executive Director of Dubai Healthcare City, Dr. Ayesha Abdullah said: “Dubai Healthcare City is committed to health prevention not just treatment. This is a commitment I know our healthcare partners share and I am delighted that Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai is supporting our initiative today to increase public engagement on health by offering free eye consultations. Every week, for the next eight weeks we will be working with DHCC clinics and hospitals to provide free expert advice and care to the community. We want people to put their health first and are delighted to be launching this initiative with one of the world’s oldest and most admired eye hospitals.”
Dr Chris Canning, Medical Director at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, added: “Moorfields welcomes this initiative by Dubai Healthcare City for the benefit of staff and partners at TECOM. Education and screening are prime objectives of ours and this programme delivers both. Healthcare should be as much about screening and prevention as well as treatment; and a regular health check up – including an eye check – is a vital habit to instil in the community.”
Contact: Jonathan Walsh/Vanessa Payne
WPR Limited
Dubai
050 4588610
[email protected]

Take the Moorfields challenge at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2012

[:en]27 February 2012 (Dubai, UAE): Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (Moorfields), a branch of the world-renowned 200 year-old Moorfields eye hospital in London, has confirmed its support for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature for the second successive year, and will once again add a new dimension to the high profile event, with eye tests, English and Arabic storytelling, competitions, arts & crafts, face painting, a games area, and balloon bending, as well as a photo booth with digital print outs on the spot to provide lasting memories for those attending as well as an extra element of fun. Moorfields will be entertaining and educating visitors in the downstairs foyer area at the Event Center, on Friday March 9th and Saturday March 10th, 2012, from 10am to 5pm.
Moorfields is offering younger visitors (and the whole family) to the Festival an opportunity to enjoy a fun-filled, educational time, as the team from Moorfields challenges visitors to take an eye test and learn more about ‘Frisby Stereo’, ‘Ishihara colours’ and ‘Kay pictures’. In addition to fun and games, experts from Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai will be on hand to provide advice and guidance on eye care for children and other family members, and to answer any questions.
Moorfields’ important health message for parents attending the Festival is based on the 5 good reasons why children should have regular eye tests:

  • Eye problems in children are relatively common
  • Eye problems run in families
  • Small children who are born with poor vision cannot tell you their vision is poor
  • Children may be having difficulty at school because of a vision problem
  • Most causes of poor vision are easily corrected if they are picked up and treated in time

Commenting on the hospital’s sponsorship and activity programme for the Festival, Dr Chris Canning, CEO and Medical Director at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, said: “Moorfields is delighted to be supporting this world class literature festival in Dubai for a second year, after a very successful event in 2011.Of course, the benefits of reading are significant and, if encouraged at a young age, reading can become a lifelong pleasure. Reading difficulties can also be a sign of eye problems and so there is a natural connection with our work at Moorfields. We look forward to having a lot of fun over the course of the Festival but there is a serious message as well. The human brain is learning to see from birth until about the age of seven and a half and so checking the eyes during this time is important. Eye tests for children are quick, simple and painless and can help prevent serious problems in later children or in adulthood. We will have some fun eye tests on our stand and we hope all families coming to the Festival will take the challenge and learn about the five reasons for children to have an eye test.”
Issued on behalf of MEHD by WPR.
Media Contact:
Jonathan Walsh
WPR
Dubai
Tel: 050 4588610
Email: [email protected]

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai Lasik-Lasek final release

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The long and the short of laser vision correction in the UAE
Assessment is the vital starting point before undergoing or re-doing laser corrective eye surgery, advises Moorfields

6 December 2012 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates): Residents in the region now have access to the highest quality and most advanced laser corrective eye surgery – conveniently and affordably – right here in the UAE, but care should be taken to undergo a thorough and professional patient assessment beforehand, according to experts at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (Moorfields).
In the UAE, Lasik eye surgery has become routine for those as young as 21 years and it is often also a possible option for presbyopic patients after age 40, provided their refractive error is within a certain range. Quick, painless and with a high success rate, laser corrective surgery has become a routine medical procedure but patient assessment is still an essential step before committing to treatment.
“Laser corrective eye surgery is very accessible in the UAE but the consultation process should determine whether or not a patient qualifies for the surgery and there should be an in-depth examination of each patient to assess their suitability for corrective surgery. Without this, there is a risk of complications arising from the surgery,” says Dr Edmondo Borasio, Consultant Corneal and Refractive Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai. “Especially in the Gulf area, one of the possible risks of LASIK is the development of keratoconus (i.e. progressive corneal weakening) in patients with genetically predisposed corneas, so great care should be taken in confirming eligibility.”
“Patients who have had a stable vision prescription for at least one year and who do not have eye diseases, severely dry eyes and/or weak corneas, are typical candidates for corrective eye surgery.” He adds. “Anyone over the age of 21 is eligible for the procedure but laser vision correction after the age of 40 may require a small compromise between near and distance vision.
‘Lasik’ actually stands for ‘Laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis’ which is a procedure that reshapes the cornea. Lasik eye surgery is used to treat patients with near sightedness, short sightedness, far sightedness and astigmatism. Before the surgery begins, a local anaesthetic is applied using special eye drops so the patient will not feel anything. During the surgery a small flap is created with the femtosecond laser on the superficial layers of the cornea, and the underlying corneal tissue is sculpted using an excimer laser. The flap is then put back in place and carefully realigned.
During the operation, the patient does not see or feel very much; the procedure is quick, lasting just a few minutes and the overall time spent in theatre is around 10 minutes, although surgical time is often just a couple of minutes. After the surgery, the eyes can feel a little ‘scratchy’ for 6-8 hours and recovery can be expected in less than a day. Overall there is around 98% success rate with the procedure and patients can see a major improvement immediately after surgery. The majority of the LASIK patients have an almost complete recovery already the next day. Patients not suitable for LASIK because of thin or irregular corneas can instead undergo a surface ablation (LASEK) which is equally effective but takes longer to recover (around 1 week in most cases).
All the latest techniques used for the correction of Myopia, Hypermetropia and Astigmatism are available at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, including IntraLase, WaveFront LASIK, LASEK, PRK and Epi-LASIK. Dr Borasio has also particular expertise in the management of complications arising from previous refractive surgery.
www.moorfields.ae
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Notes to editors
Laser Refractive Surgery
All the latest techniques used for the correction of Myopia, Hypermetropia and Astigmatism are available at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, including IntraLase, WaveFront LASIK, LASEK, PRK and Epi-LASIK. The Hospital is also a referral centre for the management of complications from previous refractive surgery. During a LASIK procedure, a very thin flap has to be created on the front of the cornea before the corrective laser is applied.
Until a few years ago, LASIK flaps could only be created with a mechanical blade called “microkeratome”. Nowadays however, with the latest advances in technology it is possible to create these flaps entirely with the laser. Such a laser is called femtosecond IntraLase and allows to “cut” with a precision in the order of 15 microns (1 micron is 1/1000 of a mm). Greater precision also means reduced risks of complications compared to using the blade.
About Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai
Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (MEHD) is the first overseas branch of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the oldest and one of the largest centres for ophthalmic treatment, teaching and research in the world. Located at the Al Razi Medical Complex in Dubai Health Care City, the facility provides day case surgery and outpatient diagnostic and treatment services, for a variety of surgical and non-surgical eye conditions. MEHD will also raise standards for research and teaching in the region through its partnership with the Harvard Medical School Dubai Center. MEHD is owned and managed by the NHS Foundation Trust, and maintains close links with London to ensure that patients in the GCC receive the best eye care treatment in the world.
Contact: Jonathan Walsh
WPR Limited
Dubai
050 4588610
[email protected]

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai PCRF patient press release

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Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai treats young Palestinian patient in Dubai

23 December 2012 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) has referred a young patient to Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (Moorfields) – the Dubai branch of Moorfields Eye Hospital in London – for specialist eye treatment.
Anaghim lost her eye through a tumour when she was just a few months old and has undergone several surgeries as she has grown and the eye socket has developed.
An 11 year old girl, she is one of four children living with their parents in the Beach Refugee Camp in Gaza and needs surgery to replace an orbital implant. This procedure will allow her to have a permanent artificial eye fitted by the Hospital’s ocularist at a later date, after healing following the surgery.
Anaghim will have surgery in December by Dr Andrea Sciscio, an Oculoplastic Surgeon based permanently at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai. Three months following the surgery, once the socket has healed, it will be possible for the Hospital’s ocularist to craft and fit an artificial eye.
The PCRF UAE Chapter managed all the logistics to bring Anaghim to the UAE, including visas and travel arrangements; she is currently staying with her grandparents in the UAE.
Dr Andrea Sciscio, Consultant Oculoplastic Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, comments: “The objective of this surgery is to allow Anaghim’s eye socket for the fitting of a new orbital ball implant, which fills the eye socket and maintains its shape and volume like a natural eyeball, over which we can fit a very natural looking Artificial Eye which can be produced to match precisely Anaghim’s real eye. It is important that we are able to provide this continuity of patient care here at the hospital, which is so critical to the outcome of the procedure and so will be monitoring her after the surgery and before the fitting of the artificial eye.”
Moorfields has already treated several serious eye cases for the PCRF patients since opening 5 years ago and the PCRF welcomed Moorfield’s continuing medical support for its work. Steve Sosebee, President and CEO of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, commented: “On behalf of the PCRF, I would like to thank Moorfields for continuing to help the young people in Palestine who cannot get adequate medical care locally, and which makes such a difference to the quality of life for the patients and their families.”
The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund is a US based charity with chapters in several countries and has sent more than 60 injured and sick children to the UAE over the past five years, including twelve in 2012, for medical care that was not available to them in Palestine. PCRF has also worked with a number of national and international foundations including Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment, The Little Wings Foundation and Slam Ya Sighar.
www.pcrf.net
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Notes to editors:

About the PCRF
The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund is a non-political, non-profit entity established in 1991 by concerned people in the United States to address the medical and humanitarian crisis facing Palestinian youths in the Middle East.  The PCRF is registered as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization in the U.S., and in the U.A.E. it operates solely as an unincorporated network of committed supporters.  PCRF – U.A.E. does not engage in any fund-raising activities without the formal approval of properly licensed local entities based in the U.A.E.  www.pcrf.net
About Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai
Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (MEHD) is the first overseas branch of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the oldest and one of the largest centres for ophthalmic treatment, teaching and research in the world. Located at the Al Razi Medical Complex in Dubai Health Care City, the facility provides day case surgery and outpatient diagnostic and treatment services, for a variety of surgical and non-surgical eye conditions. MEHD will also raise standards for research and teaching in the region. MEHD is owned and managed by the NHS Foundation Trust, and maintains close links with London, to ensure that patients in the GCC receive the best eye care treatment in the world.
Issued on behalf of Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai by WPR.
Media contacts:
PCRF: Mazen Aloul, Media Coordinator, PCRF, M:+971 50 4626593, E: [email protected], W: http://community.pcrf.net/
http://pcrf.net/
Moorfields: Jonathan Walsh, WPR Limited, Dubai, +971 50 4588610, [email protected]

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai signs network agreement with MedNet UAE to extend access to world class specialist eye care and services across 17 additional insurance affiliates

[:en]14 May 2013 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates): Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (Moorfields), the first overseas branch of the world renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, and MedNet UAE FZ LLC (MedNet) – the managed care service provider which creates access to high quality healthcare – have reached an agreement under which Moorfields will join the network of healthcare providers accessible to 17 insurance partners of MedNet. As a result, Moorfields increases the number of its insurance affiliates and intermediaries to 35, and MedNet members  will enjoy  cashless access to Moorfields services at the point of treatment through the direct billing arrangement between Moorfields and MedNet.
As a result of the new agreement, more insured patients will now be able to access world class eye care services, consultations and treatment provided by Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, which opened in Dubai in 2007 and has since treated more than 26,000 patients, with the added benefit and convenience of pre-approved cover and direct billing. Moorfields has a growing team of eight specialist consultants based permanently in Dubai.
Commenting on the new agreement, Mariano Gonzalez, Managing Director of Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, said: “Moorfields is very pleased to sign this new agreement with MedNet, as it will help us extend access to our specialist services across a wider range of insurance company members in the UAE – an additional 17 health insurers, added to the 18 with whom we already work – and allow more patients to have easier access to services at the point of treatment. So, we can all focus on the medical care – consultation, diagnosis, treatment and follow up – rather than the administration. This can be a great reassurance to patients at what can be a stressful time for them and their families.”
Dr. Sukumara Prakash, General Manager of MedNet UAE, added “We are glad to welcome Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai to MedNet’s accredited list of healthcare providers and look forward to enhancing cashless access to specialized ophthalmic care for our members across this region. This is in line with MedNet’s strategy to continue to expand access to high-quality care for our members while making it affordable to the community we serve.”

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai appoints Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist to its permanent team of specialist consultants

7 July 2013 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates): Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, the first overseas branch of the world renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, has announced the appointment of its latest specialist consultant to its growing team of medical specialists based permanently in Dubai. Dr Darakhshanda Khurram is a Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist with a specialist interest in paediatric cataract congenital eye disease  and squint (strabismus) surgery. Dr Khurram joins the hospital as Moorfields continues to increase its medical staff and strengthen its range of specialities, serving patients in the UAE and wider region, after operating in the Middle East for more than five years.
Dr Darakhshanda Khurram trained at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Moorfields Eye Hospital, in London, as a general ophthalmologist with a highly advanced sub-specialist interest in Paediatric Ophthalmology. Dr Khurram’s areas of expertise are the clinical and surgical management of congenital cataracts, congenital glaucoma and strabismus surgery (including the use of botulinum toxin ). She is very experienced in the screening and management of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP – a disease of the eye effecting prematurely born babies). She has advanced diagnostic skills in paediatric ophthalmology including congenital eye abnormalities and inherited diseases.
After studying medicine at the Rawalpindi Medical College, Pakistan, Dr Khurram completed a four-year ophthalmology residency programme leading to her post-graduate fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons in Glasgow, UK. She trained and worked as an Assistant Professor at the Al-Shifa Eye Hospital in Pakistan, providing specialised paediatric ophthalmology services.
She completed her advanced fellowship training in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at the two world renowned hospitals – Great Ormond Street Hospital and Moorfields Eye Hospital, in London, UK, where she worked with some of the most prominent Paediatric Ophthalmologists and built on her previous substantial experience to gain an in depth  and comprehensive knowledge of rare and challenging paediatric ophthalmic conditions as well as experience in the most modern surgical and clinical procedures.
Dr. Khurram has been an active researcher and has a strong record of peer reviewed publications in clinical research and audit. She has also presented at international conferences, including the American Association of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, World Congress of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, and World Ophthalmology Congress.
Commenting on the latest consultant appointment, Dr Clare Roberts, Medical Director at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai and herself a paediatric ophthalmologist, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dr Khurram to our growing team of specialists in Dubai and she brings with her outstanding qualifications and experience. Many of our consultants, like Dr Khurram, trained at Moorfields in London, and all are based permanently in the UAE to ensure a consistently high quality of continuity if patient care and follow up. We continue to see a growing number of children at the hospital and so her specialist skills in this area will be of particular value and we plan to appoint further specialists through the course of 2013.”
Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai opened in 2007 and has since treated more than 26,000 patients.

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai invests in the world’s most advanced, fastest fine beam laser eye correction technology

[:en]15 December 2013 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates): Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, the first overseas branch of the world renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, has invested in the most advanced technology used for laser refractive surgery for vision correction, providing improved performance for patients in terms of speed, precision, safety and comfort, and often allowing faster visual recovery. Patients can also benefit from a special offer on vision correction surgery until the end of the year. The Schwind Amaris 750S uses an exceptionally small diameter laser beam with a customised ablation map, which matches the shape of the patient’s cornea. The resulting vision for the patient can be an improvement on pre-treatment eyesight with glasses or contact lenses. Moorfields, in Dubai, is among the first private hospitals in the Middle East to invest in the new technology. The Schwind Amaris 750S is the leading technology for laser treatment and operates with a very fast repetition rate: 750 tiny light flashes per second shape the corneal surface quickly resulting in patient comfort and better vision correction, correcting one dioptre (a measure of the optical power of a lens) of myopia within 1.5 seconds, and eight dioptres are removed within 13 seconds.
Dr Edmondo Borasio, Consultant Corneal and Refractive Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, said: “Patients should only have this eye correction treatment done once and so they want to have the safest and most effective treatment. The Amaris 750S really is the state of the art in laser vision correction – very fast and accurate, whilst providing information of the cornea on screen in real time. It is especially valuable for patients who have complications from other eye diseases and for those who have a complication following previous surgery. Moorfields is a referral centre for the management of complications following previous refractive surgery. The new technology, which is very compact and patient friendly, is already operational and the patient results have been very good.”
Clinical studies have documented the treatment quality achieved with the Schwind Amaris technology, with visual acuity of 10/10 (100 percent) or better achieved in nearly all cases. This means that a high percentage of treated patients could see even better than before treatment with their glasses or contact lenses. The study also shows that patients had improved contrast vision.
The Schwind Amaris 750S has two energy levels, a high energy level rapidly removes around 80 percent of the tissue to be removed and then a gentler beam removes the remaining 20 percent, creating the smooth surface required for improved vision. Since the patient’s eyes can involuntarily move for milliseconds while fixating on the laser light, the Schwind Amaris 750S compensates for this with its advanced 6 dimensions eye tracker that monitors the position of the eye with approximately 1050 measurements per second and detects all these eye movements and compensates for them, instantly.
Moorfields is currently offering patients (minimum age 21) a saving of up to AED2,500 on vision correction surgery – subject to terms, an initial assessment and the treatment administered – until 31st December 2013.

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai and THE VISION CARE INSTITUTE® of Johnson & Johnson collaborate on a professional seminar for the region’s opticians

[:en]9 February 2014 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates): Leadingeye experts from Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (Moorfields) presented a professional seminar recently for 26 eye care professionals from across the GCC, organised and hosted by THE VISION CARE INSTITUTE® (The Institute) at Dubai Health Care City. The seminar focused on common conditions and patient questions and concerns around glaucoma – the second leading cause of blindness in the world – and oculoplastics (cosmetic surgery around the eyes).
During the seminar, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and Oculoplastics Specialist at Moorfields Dubai, Dr Qasiem Nasser, discussed the evaluation of the upper eyelid from an oculoplastic perspective in response to the common patient complaint of ‘droopy eyelids’. Eye specialists especially are well equipped to undertake cosmetic procedures around the eyes because of their background knowledge in the specific area of the eye solely and exclusively.
Dr Sohaib Mustafa, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and Glaucoma Specialist at Moorfields Dubai, then covered Glaucoma,discussing the detection, referral and management of the disease. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide and the number one cause of irreversible blindness. However, the disease is treatable and blindness can be prevented through early diagnosis. Although children and young adults can be affected by Glaucoma, high risk groups include older` people (with an increasing risk over 40 years ofage), uncontrolled diabetics and those with a family history of glaucoma. The World Health Authority estimates that Glaucoma affects around 60 million people globally. Glaucoma is called “the sneak thief of sight” because there are no symptoms and once vision is lost, it is permanent. As much as 40 percent of vision can be lost without a person noticing.
Commenting on the seminar, Dr Clare Roberts, Medical Director at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, said: “Training – alongside research and treatment – is an integral part of the Moorfields mission in the region and we are delighted to be working alongside THE VISION CARE INSTITUTE® which shares inour commitment to a patient-led approach to continual medical education. The Institute provides world class training facilities and resources, dedicated to improving the professional standards of eye care professionals in the region. By focusing on frontline eye care professionals, we can make a real difference to theirpatients by helping them identify potential problems even before there are any symptoms. Glaucoma is a great example – screening for the disease and then compliance with the treatment regime are two importantmessages for the professional community to share with their patients.”
THE VISION CARE INSTITUTE® in Dubai Health Care City, Dubai, offers continual education to eye care professionals all over the Middle East, with the aim of fostering a more confident and proactive approach to eye care. The Institute has state of the art facilities and technology to deliver innovative eye care education and has welcomed over 5,000 delegates since opening in the Middle East in 2008.Type your content here…

Eye experts raise concerns about cataracts as age and diabetes raise threat levels in the region

[:en]30 June 2014 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates): According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cataracts are the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in the world (47.9%) and their prevalence increases each year as the world’s population ages. Eye experts at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai are warning about the rising incidence of cataracts in the GCC’s young but ageing population (over 65 segment growing from 1.2% in 2015 to 14.2% of the GCC population by 2050) and especially amongst the large diabetic community in the GCC, where the risk of cataracts is much higher. Age and diabetes are the two main risk factors for cataracts.
Cataracts cause gradual blurring of the vision. In 2002, cataracts caused reversible blindness in more than 17 million of the 37 million blind individuals worldwide; this figure is projected to reach 40 million by 2020. In the Gulf region, an ageing population and high incidence of diabetes is raising concerns among eye experts.
‘Cataract’ is an English word for a large waterfall and is also a very apt term used to describe a gradual loss of vision as the lens of the eye becomes opaque and so is like looking through a waterfall. Cataracts are cloudy opacifications of the lens of the eye that interfere with vision. Cataracts can be caused by a wide variety of factors. The lens of the eye is made up of cells that contain protein and with increasing age and after damage to the lens cells by trauma, illness or certain medications over time the protein becomes denser and the lens may start to cloud over.Age is the single most important risk factor for cataracts, which are rare before the age of 40 – although babies can also be born with cataracts. Diabetes is one of the other key factors that result in the development of cataracts; people with diabetes mellitus statistically face a 60% greater risk of developing cataracts.
As with most complications of diabetes, maintaining good control of blood sugar levels will help to reduce risk. Research has shown that people with type 2 diabetes who lower their HbA1c level by just 1% can reduce their risk of cataracts by 19%.Dr Edoardo Zinicola, Consultant Vitreoretinal Surgeon and Medical Retina Specialist at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, the first overseas branch of the world’s largest eye hospital, comments: “We cannot turn back time and even the young population of the Middle East will eventually age, potentially creating a wave of chronic disease – principally diabetes, which will create this perfect storm for cataracts and other serious eye complications. Cataracts generally develop and progress slowly and can eventually lead to significant vision problems. The good news is that cataracts can be treated very effectively with modern surgery to remove the cloudy lens and insert a high quality lens implant. Once treated, cataracts do not return.”
Moorfields is inviting the community and people with diabetes for cataract screening, diagnosis and assessment, as well as surgery where appropriate, and is offering special rates during the summer months.

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai gifts eye surgery to 2-year old baby from Nigeria

[:en]6 July 2014 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates): It was the perfect birthday gift – Adetutu spent her second birthday with her mother at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai for a follow up consultation with a specialist consultant, following successful surgery to implant intraocular lenses. The case was treated as a charitable case and treatment was offered to Adetutu free of any charge to the family by the hospital, which also collected funds to help meet the costs of accommodation in Dubai and flights to Nigeria. In her short life, Adetutu has also undergone heart surgery in India. Since the surgery in Dubai, Adetutu and her mother have returned safely to Nigeria.
An intraocular lens (IOL) is a lens implanted in the eye used to treat cataracts or secondary aphakia and is the most commonly performed eye surgical procedure.
Speaking about the IOL treatment, Dr Darakhshanda Khurram, Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, who performed the surgery, said: “Adetutu and her mother originally came to the hospital to see if we could fit contact lenses but they did not have the funds to do this, as the baby had also needed heart surgery in India, as well. So, we all agreed that we would perform the IOL implants surgery as a charity case with no charge. We are all delighted that the treatment was successful and that we were able to help a baby girl who has been through so much, at such a young age, and to help the struggling mother.”

Speaking at the hospital, the mother of Adetutu, Gwen Adejola, said: “The care has been very special and I hope that Adetutu will be able to see clearly and run around with clear vision. I was extremely surprised and grateful to the staff at Moorfields for the treatment and for the very pleasant and homely environment that we enjoyed.”
On her return to Nigeria, Gwen Adejola composed a poem in appreciation of all the staff at Moorfields:When one is alone lost in the multitude of worries, thinking there is no solution to our problems, then hope and care comes from afar, from places least expected, this great thing you have done, without prejudice, without thinking about colour or class, bringing joys to our lives. At Moorfields, you gave us light to see, for this may your sun never dim, your sun will never dim.

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai organizes Glaucoma Symposium to brief UAE specialists on latest advances and risks to people with diabetes

[:en]17 November 2014 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates): Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, supported by the Emirates Medical Association Ophthalmic Society, has organized a Glaucoma Symposium for specialists from across the UAE to brief them on the latest developments in the diagnosis and treatment of the eye disease. Glaucoma generally affects older people but uncontrolled diabetes is also a major risk factor, making Glaucoma a health issue even for the relatively young population of the UAE.
The World Health Authority estimates that Glaucoma affects around 60 million people globally. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide and the number one cause of irreversible blindness. There is no cure, however, the disease is treatable and blindness can be prevented through early diagnosis, highlighting the importance of screening.
At the Glaucoma Symposium, expert speakers from four leading eye hospitals and clinics in Abu Dhabi and Dubai took the group of UAE ophthalmologists through the various forms of the disease and the latest in medications and surgical techniques, during the half-day session at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai on Friday 7th November. The symposium attracted more than 100 delegates to the CME (Continuing Medical Education) accredited event.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause progressive damage of the optic nerve. If left untreated, most types of glaucoma result (without warning or obvious symptoms to the patient) in increasing visual damage and may lead to blindness. Once this has happened, the visual damage is permanent, which is why glaucoma is described as the “silent blinding disease” or the “sneak thief of sight”.
According to the World Health Organization, the number of people estimated to be blind as a result of primary glaucoma is 4.5 million, accounting for slightly more than 12 per cent of all global blindness. The incidence of some types of Glaucoma rises with age and its progression is more frequent in people of African origin. Although children and young adults can be affected by Glaucoma, high risk groups include older people (with an increasing risk over 40 years of age), uncontrolled diabetics and those with a family history of Glaucoma.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Glaucoma Symposium, where he was a principal speaker, Dr Mohammed Sohaib Mustafa, Consultant Glaucoma Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, commented: “Glaucoma has no symptoms in its early stages and up to 40 per cent loss of sight can occur before any problem is noticed by the sufferer. This is why we wanted to bring together eye care professionals in the UAE for this Glaucoma Symposium. We are advising the community in Dubai – and especially people with diabetes and anyone over the age of 40 – to undertake regular screening every year. It really could save your eyesight. We have a relatively young population in the UAE but with a high incidence of diabetes and so, as the population ages, there is the risk of an increase of Glaucoma.”
Glaucoma is treated with eye drops or surgery (conventional or laser) which can halt or slow-down the disease and further vision loss. Research aims to uncover the mechanisms for the improper levels of intra-ocular pressure, nerve damage and the role of genes. Early detection is essential to limiting visual impairment and preventing the progression towards severe visual handicap or blindness. Screening for Glaucoma involves a mandatory eye pressure check, evaluation of the optic nerve at the back of the eye by a specialist doctor and visualfields test if any changes are seen at the previous exams. All tests are pain free and easy to assess the disease when performed in proper ophthalmic hospitals or clinics. Screening should be done every 12 months.

Dr. Muralidharan Upendran

[:en]MBBS, MS (Ophth), MRCOphth, FRCOphth
Consultant Ophthalmologist
Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon
GCAA Approved Specialist Medical Examiner]Dr. Muralidharan Upendran is a Consultant Ophthalmologist with sub-specialist training in Vitreo-Retinal surgery. He specialises in the surgical management of retinal disorders including retinal detachment, macular disease, diabetic retinopathy and ocular trauma. He also specializes in the medical management of retinal vascular disease and macular disorders. He is also an experienced cataract surgeon and can manage complex cataract surgery.
Dr. Upendran obtained his medical degree and a basic ophthalmology degree in India. He then moved to the UK where he received further higher specialty training in Ophthalmology in Belfast before becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, London. He received his initial Vitreo-Retinal surgical training at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. He then received his fellowship training in Vitreo-Retinal surgery at the Birmingham & Midland Eye Centre, UK. He has recently worked as a Consultant Ophthalmologist with a special interest in retinal disease at the Royal Victoria Hospital and Macular Service in Belfast.
Dr. Upendran has an interest in research and teaching. He has a portfolio of published research and has delivered scientific presentations to his peers. He has been involved in teaching programs for medical students. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists London and a Life member of the All India Ophthalmological Society.
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Return to Ophthalmologisits Homepage[:ar]بكالوريوس في الطب والجراحة، ماجستير في
طب العيون
عضو الكلية الملكية لأطباء العيون، زميل الكلية
الملكية لأطباء العيون
استشاري طب العيون
أخصائي في جراحة الشبكية والجسم الزجاجي
أخصائي فحص عيون معتمد من الهيئة العامة للطيران المدني]

لدكتور مواليداران أوبندران استشاري في طب العيون باختصاص فرعي في مجال جراحة الشبكية والجسم الزجاجي. ويختص الدكتور أوبندران في الإدارة الجراحية لاضطرابات الشبكية بما في ذلك انفصال الشبكية ومرض الضمور البقعي واعتلال الشبكية الناجم عن مشاكل السكري وإصابات العين. كما يتخصص في علاج وإدارة أمراض الأوعية الدموية بالشبكية واضطرابات الضمور البقعي، وله خبرة واسعة في جراحة إعتام عدسة العين ومؤهل لتنفيذ الجراحات المعقدة في هذا المجال.درس الدكتور أوبندران الطب والاختصاص الأساسي في طب العيون في الهند، وانتقل بعدها إلى المملكة المتحدة حيث تلقى تدريباً متخصصاً في طب العيون في بيلفاست، قبل أن يحصل على زمالة الكلية الملكية لأطباء العيون في لندن. وفيما بدأ تدريبه الأولي في مجال جراحة الشبكية والجسم الزجاجي في مستشفى رويال فيكتوريا في بيلفاست، فقد واصل رحلته في هذا المجال وحصل على تدريب الزمالة في جراحة الشبكية والجسم الزجاجي من مركز بيرمنغهام وميدلاند للعيون بالمملكة المتحدة. عمل الدكتور أوبندران مؤخراً ك أخصائي في طب العيون مع التركيز على أمراض الشبكية لدى مستشفى رويال فيكتوريا وقسم أمراض الضمور البقعي في بيلفاست.
تشمل اهتمامات الدكتور أوبندران أيضاً مجالات الأبحاث والتدريس، ونشرت له مجموعة من الأبحاث كما قدم العديد من الأوراق العلمية في مؤتمرات متخصصة وشارك في برامج تعليمية موجهة لطلاب كليات الطب، يذكر أن (AIOS) الدكتورأوبندران زميل الكلية الملكية لأطباء العيون في لندن وعضو مدى الحياة في جمعية طب العيون لعموم الهند.
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