Dubai: A three-year old Syrian refugee girl called Salma, suffering from a rare eye condition, is currently being treated in Dubai as part of a charitable project.
The case has been supported through a collaboration between Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai and The Big Heart Foundation, an initiative of Shaikha Jawaher Bint Mohammad Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. Shaikha Jawaher is UNHCR Eminent Advocate for Refugee Children.
Both parties are working together to treat Salma Mustafa Asaad, who was born with two-thirds of her left eyelid missing, due to a rare condition called congenital eyelid coloboma. The condition causes the eyelid and eyebrow to be cleft, which can be repaired through surgery.
The first of a series of surgical procedures to correct Salma’s condition was recently completed successfully at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai by a specialist oculoplastic team, led by consultant ophthalmic and oculoplastic surgeon Dr Yassir Abu Rayyah. They removed eyelid tissue from her lower lid and grafted it on the upper lid to close the defect. Salma is currently recovering from the procedure and will require a series of further eye surgeries planned over the next 12-18 months.
“The surgical team was very pleased with the first stage surgery to separate her eyelid from the eye globe and her condition is now very stable. We now look forward to seeing Salma grow and develop over the next few months before we continue the treatment to fully restore her upper and lower eyelids. We are very optimistic about the outcome because she is so young and still growing, and look forward to helping Salma achieve normal healthy vision,” said Dr Abu Rayyah.
“I want to extend my profound thanks to Shaikha Jawaher and to the doctors and medical staff at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai and especially Dr Yassir Abu Rayyah, for facilitating this eye surgery for my daughter Salma, and bringing joy and happiness to our hearts,” said Salma’s father, Mustafa Ahmad.
