Dear friends, we want to introduce you to another Russian-speaking specialist, a professional in his field and just a wonderful person - a candidate of medical sciences, an ophthalmologist with more than 30 years of experience, Dr. Wafaa Al Shaer.
Dr. Wafaa graduated from the Medical Academy in Sofia (Bulgaria). Then she entered the Union Research Institute of Ophthalmology and Eye Microsurgery in Moscow, where she graduated from the Department of Ophthalmology and Eye Surgery and defended her thesis.
From 1989 to 1999, Dr. Wafaa worked in the Department of Health in Dubai, practicing at Rashid and Dubai Hospital, after which she transferred to the private structures of the city.
Despite vast experience, dr. Wafaa is constantly improving its skills by participating in various international ophthalmological congresses and conferences. She is also a frequent visitor to local television programs, and her articles on eye diseases in English and Arabic are published in magazines and newspapers.
We asked dr. Wafaa tell us about the features of her specialty and highlight some aspects of which we, ordinary people, sometimes do not even suspect.
"I'm a specialist in diagnosis and laser treatment of retinal diseases. I am treated by patients with problems such as amblyopia, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, various neuroophthalmological diseases. In addition, I am engaged in preliminary consultation of patients who are planning to resort to laser surgery for vision correction. Well, of course, both adults and children can come to me for a routine examination and eye examination.
We ophthalmologists say that eyes are not only a mirror of our soul, but our health. According to the condition of the eyes, it is possible to determine the presence of diseases that, as it may seem to us, are not connected with the eyes in any way. For example, according to the state of the eye vessels, we can determine the stage of hypertension or sugar diseases. By the way, you probably know that diabetes, in addition to numerous problems, can also lead to blindness. Therefore, I strongly advise all diabetics to have regular ophthalmologist screening to monitor the retina. With the help of laser equipment that we have available, we successfully cure such diseases.
What else can be determined by the eyes: the possible presence of a tumor in the brain, multiple sclerosis and most other neurological diseases, and even rheumatism. And how many people suffer from migraines and think that this is a neurological disease - but the eyes can cause headaches!
Glaucoma is one of the most dangerous and, unfortunately, the most hidden diseases. Often, glaucoma does not appear in any way, it may not have symptoms, and many patients come to me already "5 minutes before blindness." Therefore, do not wait until it is too late. A timely examination by an ophthalmologist is practically the only way to detect the presence of this so-called “silent thief of vision” - a silent thief of vision. A visit to an ophthalmologist is mandatory for those who have already had cases of glaucoma in their family history, as well as for all over 40 years of age.
If you want to correct your vision (astigmatism or myopia) using laser surgery, then you need to undergo a preliminary retinal examination to determine whether such an intervention is possible or not. And if there are problems there, such as tears or holes, then these problems must be fixed in advance. I also carry out these procedures in our clinic.
I would like to give some tips for maintaining vision for every day. With the local sun and the intensity of ultraviolet radiation, especially from 10.00 to 16.00, it is necessary to protect our eyes - high-quality sunglasses with 100% protection are indispensable. And if you are on the beach, then additional protection by the visor of the headgear is desirable.
In addition to the sun, the enemies of our eyes are numerous screens, without which it is difficult to imagine our modern life. And if it’s almost impossible to completely get rid of them, then at least keep a distance from your eyes: the distance to the computer screen should be at least 55 cm, min tablet. 33 cm. And apply the golden rule "20x20x20": after 20 minutes of using the screen, we look at 20 feet (approx. 6 meters) for 20 minutes to give our eyes a rest.
And children using such gadgets for more than an hour a day are generally contraindicated. And the point here is not only in the eyes, but also in the radiation from the devices with all the ensuing consequences.
Those who wear glasses must regularly check their eyesight, so it "does not stand still." Vision can both improve and deteriorate, and glasses or lenses need to be adjusted accordingly.
As for the kids, the first eye examination must be carried out at 3 years. And in the presence of any anomalies or precedents in the family - even earlier. After all, vision problems at the initial stage with modern technologies can be solved quite quickly and successfully. A missed disease can lead to very unpleasant consequences, and not only in physiological terms. After all, the children themselves, especially when they are small, do not understand that they are hard to see. Problems with studies begin, their behavior changes, and often not for the better. And then parents begin to look for reasons in a completely different field. But the problem "only" is that the child simply does not see what the teacher is writing or showing on the blackboard, he does not perceive the information properly and begins to react inadequately. So, dear parents, be sure to monitor your kids' eyes regularly. "
Dr. Wafaa takes over at GMC Clinics, located at the address
1st Floor, Magrudy's Center, Jumeirah Rd (Jumeirah 1), Dubai
Phone: +971 (0)4 349 4880
