Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai treats its first Noor Dubai patients

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, the Dubai branch of the 200 year-old Moorfields London eye hospital, has treated its first patients under the Noor Dubai initiative which aims to treat one million people with preventive blindness over the next 12 months.

The first patient was an Iraqi woman with dense mature cataracts in both eyes; a bilateral cataract surgery was performed successfully by specialist consultants at the hospital at Dubai Health Care City. The first patient was quickly followed by several other Noor Dubai patients from across the region – Syria, Jordan, Oman and Sudan - visiting Moorfields for treatment.

Cataract is the clouding or opacity of the lens inside the eye, preventing light reaching the retina. People often describe cataract as 'looking through a chiffon scarf.' Congenital cataracts occur in newborn babies who are born with the condition. There is no known prevention for cataracts but modern surgical techniques are highly successful for most patients, who are discharged from hospital on the same day.

Pat Simons, Chief Nurse/Operations Manager at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, said: "We have treated a total of nine Noor Dubai patients from across the region so far and Moorfields has successfully performed cataract or glaucoma surgery on these patients, some of whom were as young as five years old. We are delighted to be supporting Noor Dubai, which is an inspirational initiative, and we are committed to providing world class surgical treatment and care to patients coming to us through this inititative."

Noor Dubai is an international charitable initiative for the prevention and treatment of blindness and low vision, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The ambitious initiative aims to deliver preventive eye care to over 1 million people as part of its drive to realize its vision of a world free from curable forms of blindness.

Issued on behalf of MEHD by WPR.

Media Contact:
Jonathan Walsh
WPR
Dubai
Tel: 050 4588610
Email: jon@wprme.com

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