Eye experts focus on UAE

Professors Tony Moore and Roger Hitchings are pre-eminent in their fields, and base their research at MEHD's 200-year old parent facility, Moorfields London. Professor Hitchings is the hospital's Research and Development Director, with a speciality in glaucoma; Professor Moore's speciality is genetic eye disease, and he has been instrumental in developing breakthrough gene therapy programmes, particularly for childhood retinal diseases.

The UAE has higher-than-average rates of diabetic eye disease, which the Ministry of Health has addressed with the announcement that all primary care trusts will offer diabetics regular, free retinal exams; and congenital eye disease, ranging from glaucoma to rarer pathologies. Both experts advised that the public should be educated about options for screening both.

Professor Moore was particularly adamant about children being tested: 'We at Moorfields tell governments that although fewer children than adults are blind, children will have to live many more years with blindness than for instance an older person who develops complications from glaucoma. If children are screened early, the problems they present stand a better chance of being treated.'

Professor Hitchings, who recently developed a 5-year research strategy for the Royal College of Opthamologists, stated that public education on eye health is vital: 'the two biggest problems in the UAE are diabetic retinopathy and congenital eye disease. Diabetic eye disease can be prevented if high-risk individuals had themselves screened periodically. Congenital eye disease can also be treated early through screening, and people can also volunteer to be tested for congenital eye diseases prior to marriage.'

Dr. Chris Canning, MEHD's CEO and Medical Director, spoke about diabetic eye disease; he offers consultations at the Imperial College Diabetes Centre and Zayed Military Hospital in Abu Dhabi.

All delegates gained Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits for their attendance at the seminar, in line with the Ministry of Health's efforts to raise standards of medical training in the country.