Steering Committee

Dr. AlBloushi is currently working as an assistant professor and consultant at the Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University. He holds a Saudi board and King Saud University fellowship in ophthalmology. He is a graduate of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, UK. He did his medical retina and uveitis fellowship at the Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.  His current practice focuses on treating medical retinal disorders, uveitis, and complex cataract surgery. Dr. AlBloushi is a speaker at many local and international meetings and has published several book chapters and more than 40 papers in peer-reviewed journals.

By the time that she graduated from the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain in Medicine, she had realized that she wanted to devote herself primarily to pediatric medicine because of her love for children and the joy that she finds in caring for their health and well-being, especially their eyes. Thereafter, she continued passion and got accepted for a Fellowship program in Pediatric ophthalmology & Strabismus at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital-University of Cape Town, South Africa and graduated in 2019.She is well trained in clinical and surgical treatment of full range of children’s Eye diseases which include, Retinopathy of Prematurity, Retinoblastoma, Cataracts, Glaucoma, Squints and eye injuries. She is Program Director of Abu Dhabi ophthalmology Residency Program. Other qualifications:

• Full time one year fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus at Red Cross War Memorial Children Hospital –University of Cape town, South Africa
• Ophthalmology Arab Board-certified June, 2015
• Clinical science ophthalmology examination of international council of ophthalmology,” 2014
• Basic science & Optic and Refraction Examination in Ophthalmology”, International Council of Ophthalmology, April 2012
• Executive Master of Health Care Administration, Zayed University2010-2012.

• VR consultant and Medical Director Magrabi Health in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Clinical assistant Professor of Ophthalmology.
• Member of the board of the Saudi Retina Association.
• Trained in a King Khaled Specialist Hospital Vitreoretinal fellowship program in partnership with Johns Hopkins University.

Dr, Alneyadi is a consultant ophthalmologist, having earned his medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He received the German Board of Ophthalmology (Facharzt) and the European Board of Ophthalmology (Paris, France). He has 5 in Cataract and Refractive Surgery

Dr. Assaf is currently a professor in Ain Shams University and Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Also, he is a consultant ophthalmic surgeon in phaco-refractive surgeries at Al Watany Eye Hospital (WEH) performing more than 115 cataract surgeries and 90 refractive surgeries per month.

He is an active participant in the annual meetings of European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ESCRS), American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) since 2004 till now.

Prof. Assaf has many publications and articles regarding multifocal IOLs, Visual quality, OVDs, Hyperpulse Ultrasound in Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, Journal of Ophthalmology, International Ophthalmology and others. Meanwhile Prof. Assaf researches are related to applications of Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery (LACS)

He received his doctorate degree from Cairo University in 2003 and his fellowship degree from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in 2004. He acquired clinical fellowship training in Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland, USA in 2006, where he received an intensive medical and surgical hands-on training in the field of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus.

Dr. Ahmed Awadein is specialized in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus and has performed over 10000 strabismus operations to date, including complex and recurrent cases. He has over 35international publications in the field of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus and has developed a computerized test to assist in the evaluation of patients with diplopia. He also participated as an instructor in various national and international conferences.

• Founder of Eye Consultants FZ-LLC
• Founder of Gulf Retina Group,which includes 12 members from all over the GCC
• Head of Scientific Committee of the Gulf Retina Group
• Representative of the Gulf in the American society of Retina Specialists(ASRS)
• Treasurer of Emirates Retina Group
• Local reviewer of the British Journal of Ophthalmology Middle East Edition

May 2013–Present-Head of Vitreoretinal Unit and Medical Director Eye Consultants Dubai,UAE Management of all Vitreoretinal,uveitis and anterior segment cases. Our Center is working as tertiary referral center accepting and treating most advanced and complicated cases from UAE,Middle East & Africa.

• General Clinics
• Subspecialty Clinics(SurgicalRetina,MedicalRetina&Diabetes,Uveitis,Cornea& Anterior Segment, Neuro-ophthalmology,Glaucoma,Oculoplastic,Pediatric & Strabismus)
• Accident and emergency sessions
• Screening for Retinopathy of Prematurity
• Fundus Fluoresce in Angiography
• Photo Dynamic Therapy
• Ultrasonography
• OCT Scanning

• Primary and complex retinal detachments.
• Complex diabetic vitrectomy(TRRD & TRD).
• Retinopathy of prematurity.
• Macularsurgery(Macularhole,ERM & CNVM).
• Dropped nucleus & IOL.
• Trauma & IOFB removal.
• 23g,25g and 27g Sutuerlessvitrectomy.
• Phacoemulsification + IOL
• ECCE + IOL
• Trabeculectomy
• Penetrating and deeplamellar Keratoplasty

Ahmed Mostafa Abdelrahman, MD, FRCSED. A professor of Ophthalmology, Cairo University,since 2009till present. In 2015, heachieved the Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Total Quality Management (TQM) for Healthcare Reform. He is the founder and president of the Egyptian Society for Continuous Ophthalmic Education, (EGSCOE on telegram & Website: egscoe.info). He is a glaucomaconsultant with national and international publications and innovations in the field of glaucoma surgery. He is aglaucoma reviewer for a number of PubMedprestigious Ophthalmology. He is the owner of the Giza specialized Eye center (http://www.gizaeyecenter.com) with the Glaucoma Management and Education center being part of it. 2016, the Royal College of Edinburgh council appointed him to be an examiner in the college exams. He received the Education Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2019.

Dr. Aldhanhani is Arab board of ophthalmology graduate at Abu Dhabi Ophthalmology Program, currently working at Ambulatory Health Services Abu Dhabi. Covering general ophthalmology and persuing future career in cornea, cataract and refractive surgery. Highly interested in teaching and wet lab training for the upcoming generation of ophthalmologists.

Dr. AlQahtani earned his bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery from King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Riyadh with first honor degree. After he completed the Ophthalmology Residency training program and obaiting Saudi Board in Ophthalmology, he went to Canada for 2-years fellowship. He completed his Cornea, Anterior Segment and Refractive Surgery fellowship at the University of Ottawa where he was intensively trained on advanced corneal transplants, complex anterior segment surgeries, ocular surface tumors as well as modern refractive surgery

Occupational field Full Professor of Ophthalmology and Chairman of Eye Clinic - Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Health - University of Trieste, Italy Italian Medical Licence n. 3399 Work experience Date Position held Main activities and responsibilities Date October 2019 onwards Full Professor of Ophthalmology - Eye Clinic - University of Trieste – Italy Anterior and posterior segment surgeon. 1st November 2011 onwards Position held Chairman of University Eye Clinic - Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Health - University of Trieste, Italy and Professor of Ophthalmology 2/11 - Curriculum vitae di Tognetto Daniele Europass: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu © European Union, 2002-2010 24082010 Main activities and responsibilities Anterior and posterior segment surgeon (surgery from 1st Jan 1992 to present): More than 20.000 surgical procedures. (Cataract, retina, cornea and glaucoma surgery). Director of the Eye Clinic. Tutor for surgeons in training. Head of Ophthalmology Course in the Degree Course in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Trieste Head of Residency Program in Ophthalmology at the University of Trieste.

Mr Hussein Almuhtaseb is a Senior Ophthalmology Consultant, Cataract and Vitreoretinal Surgeon. Mr Almuhtaseb earned his degree in Medicine and Surgery in 2006. He obtained his CCT in Ophthalmology at the Catalan Institute of Retina in Barcelona-Spain in 2013.

Mr Almuhtaseb was awarded the FEBO (Fellow of the European Board of Ophthalmology) in 2013, in Paris, France. At the Barraquer University Institute-Autonomous University of Barcelona, he completed a Master degree in “Pathologies and Surgery of the Macula, Vitreous and Retina.

Dr. Mahmood Showail is an Assistant Professor at the department of Ophthalmology, King Abdulaziz University and a Cornea, Anterior Segment and Refractive Surgery Consultant at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He is appointed as the chief of Ophthalmology at the International Medical Center (IMC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Prior to this, he served as the medical director of Magrabi Al-Murjan Eye complex in Jeddah and was a staff Ophthalmologist and a cornea surgeon at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital in Oakville, Canada. Dr. Showail earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery from King Abdulaziz University. He went to University of Toronto in Canada for his residency training and obtained his FRCSC degree from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He completed his Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery fellowship at the University of Toronto followed by another year of fellowship in Pediatric Cornea and External Diseases at the world renowned Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto. Dr. Showail is a founding member of the Saudi Group of Cornea and Refractive Surgery. He sits on the review board of many leading peer-reviewed Ophthalmology journals. Dr. Showail has numerous publications in prestigious journals including Cornea, American Journal of Ophthalmology, Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology and Journal of Refractive Surgery.

Upon completion of ophthalmology residency in 1997, Dr. Hosny worked as a fellow of refractive and anterior segment surgery at the University of Alicante, Spain perusing the clinical research of his Doctorate thesis under supervision of Professor Jorge Alio. He then travelled to work as a Registrar of Ophthalmology at Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh for one year. He obtained his Masters Degree from Cairo University in 1996, His FRCS degree from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1998, and his Doctorate degree in 1999.Dr Hosny has numerous international publications including coauthoring in David Ben Ezra's book "Ocular inflammation". Dr. Hosny is a regular presenter at the ASCRS and occasionally at the ESCRS meetings over the past 12 years. He served for more than six years as panelist and co-Chair person in sessions at the annual meeting of the ASCRS.

Dr. Hosny is currently a Professor of Ophthalmology at Cairo University, he also is a leading Refractive and Anterior segment consultant at Dar El Oyoun Specialized Eye Hospitals in Egypt.

Dr. Murad Alobthani, MBBS, FRCS(Canada)

• Consultant Ophthalmologist – Head of Department – Sheikh Khalifa Medical City – Abu Dhabi
• Cornea, Cataractand Refractive Surgery
• Clinical Adjunct Professor, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi

Dr. Alobthani did the residency training at University of Toronto, Canada and graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons Canada. He completed cornea and refractive surgery fellowship at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada followed by a second Corneal fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, UK.

Dr.Saleh Saif Al Messabi is one of the most esteemed Ophthalmologists in the region. For his quality of work, he was presented the Best Surgical Performance Award by Health Authority of Abu Dhabi. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Sheikh Rashed Al Maktoum award for Scientific outstanding.

Dr.Al Messabi has been known to be a pioneer when it comes to new developments in his field. He is one of the first 2 surgeons to introduce Femto-Cataract surgery to the Middle East in early 2012 and new types of multifocal intraocular lenses. A leader of innovation and one of the first few surgeons in the Middle East to start and to teach the most advanced forms of Corneal transplant like DSAEK and DALK in 2007.

Dr.Al Messabi finished his 5 years Ophthalmology Residency training at McGill University, Canada. He then spent one year further to finish his Cornea and Refractive Surgery clinical fellowship at the University of Montreal in 2007, after which he joined Sheikh Khalifa Medical City as Ophthalmology Consultant. During his tenure he established the Corneal Transplant program for SEHA in the same year, 2 years later he founded the Residency program and served until August 2012 as Residency Program Director and Head of Ophthalmology Department. After that, he joined Samaya Eye Hospital in Abu Dhabi as medical director and partner.

Dr.Al Messabi is the President of the Emirates Society of Ophthalmology and a very active member in Education and Research. He teaches Medical students at UAE University and has always given lectures in all the major, international conferences like AAO, ASCRS, ESCRS, WOC at different cities around the world.

Dr. Shady Awwad is a professor of Ophthalmology and the head of the cornea & refractive surgery division at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. He received his medical degree and completed his residency training at the American University of Beirut. He subsequently completed a fellowship in cornea & refractive surgery and then ocular pathology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Shady’s research and clinical interests are focused on analytical corneal imaging including developing machine learning models, ocular and corneal wavefront analysis, keratoconus diagnosis and treatment, refractive surgery, and intraocular lens calculations after refractive surgery, for which he has two formulas on the ASCRS IOL calculator website. He created a patented technique to analyze optical coherence tomography images of corneal haze and demarcation lines using artificial intelligence and another software to analyze slit lamp photos, among others, and accurately compute corneal lesions coordinates, surface area, and density, ideal for custom ablation area phototherapeutic keratectomy. He has several online ophthalmology software and tools. He has been awarded , the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society award, the American Academy of Ophthalmology achievement award, and the George Waring Medal for editorial excellence from the Journal of Refractive Surgery.

Dr. Shatha Hussein Alfreihi is a distinguished pediatric ophthalmologist from Saudi Arabia, currently serving as the Deputy Chairman of the Department of Pediatric Surgery at King Abdullah Specialist Children's Hospital in Riyadh. With extensive training, including fellowships from prestigious institutions like George Washington University and UCLA, Dr. Alfreihi holds board certifications in ophthalmology and has made significant contributions to her field through 12 publications and numerous presentations. An active member of several professional societies, she also participates in academic activities, including journal clubs and research committees. Recognized for her exceptional performance with multiple awards, Dr. Alfreihi embodies the ultimate commitment to advancing pediatric ophthalmology.

Dr. Siham Lazreg currently owns and manages a private practice focused on treating ocular surface disease in adults and children in Algeria, and served as an Associate Professor at the University Hospital Mustapha Bacha of Algiers in 1990 through 2008. Dr. Lazreg obtained her Medical Degree from, completed residency at, and completed a fellowship at Paris Diderot University in France. She specializes in paediatric ophthalmology and ocular surface diseases. She is the leader on ocular surface in North Africa.

Dr. Lazreg has authored many manuscripts on severe allergies (vernal and atopic keratoconjunctivitis), dry eye associated with Sjogren’s Syndrome and graft-versus-host disease, and children’s blepharitis. Her main medical interests include ocular surface diseases, dry eye and allergies, Dr. Lazreg is a scientific coordinator in the Algerian Ophthalmologic Society and she is member of many African, European, Asian and American ophthalmologic societies, she is a member and ambassador of TFOS DEWS2.

Dr. Khoueir completed his residency at the Saint-Joseph University in Beirut. He then pursued his glaucoma training by obtaining postdoctoral fellowships from the Glaucoma Institute in Paris (UPMC Sorbonne University, Paris, France) and subsequently from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Hospital in Boston (Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA). Dr. Khoueir received the young ophthalmologist scholarship award during the 8th International Congress on Glaucoma Surgery in 2016. Dr. Khoueir currently holds the position of associate director of the Glaucoma division at the Beirut Eye and ENT Specialist Hospital. He's a research collaborator at the Mayo Clinic Ophthalmology department. He's a clinical instructor and lecturer at the Saint-Joseph University medical school in Beirut. He is the co-chair of the associate advisory board of the World Glaucoma Association and a member of the associate advisory board of the International Society of Glaucoma Surgery. He is interested in the medical and surgical management of glaucoma and ophthalmic imaging with a special interest in innovative techniques such as minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) and glaucoma laser treatments.