As part of ongoing efforts to develop ophthalmology services in the country, Hamad Medical Corporation's (HMC) Ophthalmology Department today opened a new Laser Vision Correction Unit at the Ambulatory Care Center (ACC). The opening of the new unit comes as part of the healthcare provider's plan to establish several specialized diagnostic and treatment units covering all specialties and subspecialties of ophthalmology.

Dr. Fatima Al Mansouri, Senior Consultant and Head of the Ophthalmology Department at HMC said the unit has been equipped with cutting-edge laser eye surgery technology, including Femto-Lasik technology and Femto-Smile technology. The equipment is the latest vision correction technology and is being used at HMC for the first time.

"The new Laser Vision Correction Unit has been opened to meet the increasing demand for specialized ophthalmology treatment services in the country. It will allow us to better meet the needs of the population in correcting vision errors and common vision problems such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism. Many patients who use eyeglasses or contact lenses to correct vision problems will benefit from the services of the new unit. All they need is a referral from one of our cornea specialists who can then access their suitability for laser treatment," said Dr. Al Mansouri.

The unit will initially operate one day every two weeks and will be staffed with consultants and specialists in cornea diseases as well as allied healthcare professionals and nursing teams. The unit will provide vision correction treatment using laser technology for patients 20 years old and above. It will also provide treatments for younger patients who have rare eye diseases and conditions that require intervention.

Ophthalmology services currently provided at the ACC include glaucoma, cornea, optic nerves, ophthalmitis, retina, eye socket, and cosmetology treatment. Pediatric eye diseases and strabismus are also treated at the unit. The ACC also has a diagnostic unit equipped with all devices to diagnose eye diseases.

Dr. Fahad Al Qahtani, Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist said the new unit will offer highly advanced laser vision correction procedures as it has been equipped with the most advanced technologies and equipment in the world. Laser vision correction surgeries take a few minutes to complete and have very positive outcomes for patients, enabling them to no longer need to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses. The unit will receive patients referred from primary healthcare centers and by ACC ophthalmologists.

Dr. Omar Mohamed Al Qahtani, Deputy Medical Director and Head of the Ophthalmology Department at Al Wakra Hospital said: "The unit offers vision correction surgeries using three different technologies, namely: Laser, Lasik, and Femto-SMILE technologies. Femto-SMILE is considered the most advanced technology in this field and is only available in the most advanced ophthalmology centers around the world. This modern technology helps reduce patient recovery time and limits the risk of most of the potential complications of vision correction surgeries. It can also be used to correct high degrees of refractive errors."

The ACC's Ophthalmology Unit provides outpatient services for more than 80,000 patients each year. In addition to the ACC, HMC provides ophthalmology services at Al Khor Hospital, Al Wakra Hospital, and The Cuban Hospital.

Source: QNA

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