In an unprecedented medical achievement at the level of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Dr. Haifa Eye Hospital announced the success of his medical team led by Dr. Bashir Abyad, Ophthalmology Consultant, Corneal Medicine Specialist and the front of the eye and vision correction, in the first DMEK (Descent Membrane Endother Keratoplasty), which is the latest science in the field of corneal transplantation.
This advanced technique depends on replacing the inner layer of the cornea, consisting of lining cells and their dizeiti membranes, without the need to replace the whole cornea as in traditional methods. This surgical accuracy is characterized by the speed of the patient’s recovery and better visual clarity within a few weeks, with a significant decrease in the rates of transplanted tissue.
D. Bashir Abyad holds a fellowship from the University of Texas South Western – the United States of America, and completed the residency program at the American University of Beirut – Lebanon, and has extensive experience in complex corneal surgeries, treating diseases of the front of the eye, and advanced vision correction techniques.
Dr. Bashir that DMEK technology represents a qualitative shift in eye surgery, as it maintains most of the patient’s cornea, which gives him a natural sense of vision after surgery, in addition to the results of the closest to natural vision. He added: “This process allows us to treat cases of corneal cells, whether for genetic reasons, infections, or complications for previous operations, and in many cases the visual improvement begins within a few days.
The operation was performed for a patient who was suffering from a severe deterioration in the causation of corneal cell damage, as the damaged cells were replaced by healthy cells of the donor cornea, using accurate tools and installation technology by air or gas inside the eye, in a procedure that took less than an hour.
The hospital emphasized that the introduction of this technology for the first time in Bahrain reflects its commitment to providing the latest medical solutions globally, and constitutes an important step towards developing eye surgery services in the Kingdom. He also indicated that there are future plans to train Bahraini doctors to perform DMEK operations, in order to expand the scope of benefiting from them for more patients.
It should be noted that DMEK technology is conducted in a limited number of advanced medical centers around the world, including the United States and Europe, and is characterized by superior visual results compared to traditional agriculture. By successfully conducting this process, Bahrain joins the list of leading countries that provide this technology for its patients, which enhances its position as an advanced regional center in the field of ophthalmology.
