Visiting Sight For All Visionaries have had a profound impact on upgrading the skills of Cambodian eye specialists, according to Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital (KSFH) Oculoplastics Fellow, Dr To Vichhay
“Without Sight For All and its Visionaries, we could not have done it. We had to refer these patients to medical services in other countries, but not anymore.”– Dr To Vichhay
Visiting Sight For All Visionaries have had a profound impact on upgrading the skills of Cambodian eye specialists, according to Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital (KSFH) Oculoplastics Fellow, Dr To Vichhay.
Previously, the most complicated eye problems often required referral overseas, but today an increasing number of cases are dealt with at the KSFH Eye Clinic in Phnom Penh, Dr Vichhay said.
“Cambodia could not manage complicated cases, it was very hard for us and beyond our capacity,” he said.
“Without Sight For All and its Visionaries, we could not have done it. We had to refer these patients to medical services in other countries, but not anymore.”
Before joining the Sight For All Oculoplastic Fellowship program, Dr Vichhay and his associate Dr Heng Sotheary had never performed oculoplastic surgery.
Following hands-on training visits from a number of Sight For All Visionaries, they are now able to perform a variety of different surgeries, including Dacryocystotomy (DCR), Blepharoplasty, and lid surgery, and can identify oculoplastic problems.
Visionary Prof Tim Sullivan recently spent a week with Cambodian oculoplastics Fellows Drs Sotheary and Vichhay at the KSFH where they examined 65 cases and performed 15 oculoplastics surgeries.
“I learnt a lot during the week, with training covering orbital biopsies, orbital tumor, ectropion, entropion, treating ptosis with sling surgery by taking fascia lata from the leg and assisting in surgery with auto free skin grafts,” Dr Vichhay said.
From the beginning of the Fellowship in January 2018, more than 100 oculoplastics surgeries have been performed by these doctors, including 10 cases of DCR.
Oculoplastics Fellows, Drs Sotheary and Vichhay, are proving a great medical resource for the people of Cambodia.
“Every Sight For All Visionary that comes to Cambodia teaches us different things,” Dr Sotheary said.
“They each have different skills and methods, which as we learn, make us more confident and competent in our profession.
“We will help many more oculoplastics patients,” he said.
UK oculoplastics Fellow Dr Huw Oliphant, Cambodian Fellows Dr To Vichhay and Dr Heng Sotheary, with Visionary Prof Tim Sullivan.