KHOBAR: Dhahran Eye Specialist Hospital is celebrating World Sight Day on Oct. 19 and 20 with a number of events. World Sight Day exhibition organizers will hand out booklets and brochures with information on diseases that cause blindness including glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, trachoma, river blindness, and age-related macular degeneration. “We are also planning to give out brochures about causes of blindness in children and about sunglasses and contact lenses, and we also plan to put up awareness posters that include tips and guidance on eye diseases, said Dr. Iman Al-Mulla, the General Director of the Hospital. She said the exhibition is being held under the theme “Countdown to 2020” at the hospital campus. Last year's hospital statistics showed that there were 39,854 outpatient visits, 22,767 follow-up cases, 2,074 operations and 1,770 laser treatments. Leading up to Ramadan this year, statistics showed 32,782 outpatient visits, 2,013 operations and 1,577 laser treatments, she said. Mulla said the exhibition will also include educational slideshows on diabetes, eye and hand washing, visual aids and medical treatments. There will be many free tests, for color blindness, stereoscopic vision, intraocular pressure measurement, blood pressure and blood sugar, and measurement of body mass. Universities and secondary school students are invited to participate in the exhibition. Educational competitions will be held and gifts will be distributed to provide an interactive learning environment. The Dhahran Eye Specialist Hospital is also organizing a Nursing Symposium, to be held Nov. 2 to 3, to share ophthalmic knowledge among health care workers. Also, a preparatory program for the British Fellowship qualification will be held on Oct. 30, she added.
