Doaa AL-Ramlawi is a highly skilled Palestinian Optometrist hailing from the Gaza Strip and is the first practice in the middle east to join as a Myopia Focus Contributor. She earned her degree from the prestigious Islamic University of Gaza in 2016, having accumulated an impressive 12 years of experience in the field. Throughout her career, Doaa has worked diligently as an Optometrist in both private clinics and optical shops, honing her expertise and providing essential eye care services to the community. Recognising the importance of further education, she recently embarked on a journey to pursue higher studies. Over the last 8 years, she has been working as an optometrist at the Gaza Ophthalmic Centre.
We sat down with Doaa to dive into her incredible passion for myopia management and how she seamlessly integrates it into her practice. With boundless enthusiasm, she shared her journey of understanding the significant impact of myopia on her patients' lives and the drive to offer the best possible care.
Can you give us background on your journey to becoming an optometrist?
My journey to becoming an optometrist was not without its challenges, especially considering that Palestine is considered a low-income country with limited opportunities for further education and training resources in the industry. However, despite these obstacles, I was fortunate enough to kickstart my career as a general optometrist. Working diligently in this role, I acquired a wealth of skills and knowledge. One particular area of eye treatment that has captured my passion is myopia and its management. I am deeply committed to exploring innovative solutions and providing the best possible care for my patients.
I am very excited to be the first practice in the Middle East to share our views on myopia management. As optometrists in Palestine, we are resolute in our commitment to delivering the finest care to our patients, regardless of the numerous challenges and processes we encounter.
How is myopia management integrated into your practice, and what options do you offer your patients?
At our practice, we employ a comprehensive approach to myopia management, utilising a combination of techniques, including Ortho K, atropine eye drops, and multifocal contact lenses.
We firmly believe in the significance of personalised care, tailoring treatments to meet the unique needs of each patient.
Ortho K is a highly sought-after method for myopia management, involving the use of specialised contact lenses worn during sleep to gently reshape the cornea and correct myopia. While this technique can effectively slow down myopia progression, it may not be accessible to all patients due to its higher cost.
To address this, we also utilise atropine eye drops, a viable alternative to managing myopia progression in children. These drops work by relaxing the eye muscles, reducing the eye's focusing ability on nearby objects.
In addition to these techniques, we advocate for behavioural modifications that can contribute to myopia management. Encouraging increased outdoor time, taking regular breaks during close work, and limiting screen time are all practices that have been shown to help slow down the progression of myopia.
As a practice, we take immense pride in our dedication to staying up-to-date with the latest research and advancements in myopia management. Being part of a growing community of practices offering myopia management reaffirms our commitment to providing the best possible care to our patients and addressing this crucial aspect of eye health.
If you are a myopia specialist or eye care professional and are interested in being a part of Myopia Focus then why not join us in our quest to raise awareness and provide valuable, accurate information to parents? We have recently launched our Practitioner Hub to give professionals access to a number of digital resources, training, webinars and more. To learn more click here.