Man with visual impairment gets treated in Abu Dhabi, renews driver’s licence

bu Dhabi: Doctors at Madinat Zayed Hospital (MZH) of the Al Dhafra Hospitals, part of the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the UAE’s largest healthcare network, and part of the PureHealth Group, have successfully conducted the Phacoemulsification with Intraocular Lens (IOL) Implantation (PHACO +IOL) procedure on a patient who presented dense cataracts in both eyes with high myopia and retinal obstruction.

Phacoemulsification, or PHACO, is a method of cataract surgery in which the eye’s internal lens is emulsified using ultrasonic energy and replaced with an intraocular lens implant, Phacoemulsification offers several advantages over alternative surgical methods including improved visual rehabilitation, fewer and smaller incisions not requiring stitches or sutures, reduced patient anxiety and better vision offering improved patient confidence and shorter recovery time.

The MZH patient was complaining of severe visual impairment in both eyes; the impairment was so severe that it was having a tremendous impact on his quality of life and routine tasks such as driving. Despite wearing his prescription glasses, he was unable to see well for the last two years. The patient had severe myopia for a while. Upon examination, he was diagnosed with dense cataracts on both eyes with retinal obstruction. Doctors had to conduct an ophthalmic ultrasound B-scan to reveal a flat retina.

The procedure was a success and the patient achieved his best-corrected vision (right eye 20/30 and left eye 20/20) less than two months after the procedure. He has been advised to attend regular follow-ups as high myopia is a risk factor for various retinal problems.

Elaborating further on the procedure, Dr. Bashir Khaled AlNajjar, Consultant Physician, Surgery_Ophthalmologyat Al Dhafra Hospitals, SEHA said: vision controls should be performed periodically to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of visual disorders associated with high myopia. Early diagnosis of these complications will allow us to minimize vision loss.

Likewise, it is important to remember that refractive surgery corrects vision, but does not prevent the disorders associated with this pathology from developing.

The patient said: “I am very happy with the outcome of the surgery and I renewed my driver’s licence, thank God I have benefited from this procedure and I feel much younger.”