Dr Dian Esta

University of Indonesia - CiptoMangunkusumo Hospital

Indonesia

My knowledge about the cornea after studying at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine (KPUM) hospital for a month has increased, from the basic level to the advanced level which includes examination, diagnosis and management. The outpatient clinics run from Monday to Friday with surgery schedule were twice a week. Ward rounds were carried out once a week every Wednesday to assess problems that may arise post-surgery. Discussion of difficult or rare cases occurred once a week. I also visited satellite eye hospital to view more complex surgical techniques once a week. The patients were very happy with the management given because they were able to see and do to their activities. The cases that I encounter were very diverse, ranging from congenital corneal abnormalities that can be found early, such as corneal opacitiy, corneal dystrophy and keratoconus, corneal infection, corneal degeneration, complicated cataract, corneal or conjunctival tumor, steven-johnson syndrome (SJS), ocular cicatricial pemphigoid. Types of ocular surface surgery varied from light to complex were performed at this institution. The process of partial or lamellar and full thickness corneal transplant surgery, started from taking the cornea from the eyeball of the donor in the operating room until it was transplanted to the recipient, was carried out carefully with good outcome. Other surgery such as COMET (Cultivated Oral Mucosal Epithelial Transplantation) surgical technique for SSJ was also performed several times while I was there and gives good result. Corneal disorders that cannot be operated were also treated by an experienced low vision team. This experience triggered me personally to study the science of the cornea more deeply and to improve services for patients at my hospital. The program will improve the ability of eye doctors to eradicate blindness due to abnormalities on the cornea of the eye.