Special Features
Noor Dubai
Noor Dubai is an international charitable initiative for the prevention and treatment of blindness and low vision and was launched on September 3, 2008, to reflect the spirit of the Holy Month of Ramadan as a month of charity, social awareness and community solidarity. Their vision is a world free from preventable forms of blindness.Noor Dubai is founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to help eliminate preventable blindness and visual impairment in underdeveloped areas in need
This is an ambitious initiative which aims to deliver preventive eye care to over 1 million people as part of its drive to realize its vision of a world free from curable forms of blindness.
Noor Dubai’s launch program during the month of Ramadan aims to treat regional and international patients in Dubai for multiple conditions that cause blindness and low vision. The patients who would not have access to these surgeries in their home countries due to limited personal finances, logistical difficulties, or limited resources in the healthcare system.
Noor Dubai identifies patients who are in need of surgeries and later recruits patients from developing countries, with the help of the international partner, Lions Clubs International, and nationally through the Ministries of Health, the Red Crescent, and Red Cross Societies. Local patients are included in our treatment program.
Once the patients are identified in their country, a local ophthalmologist or general physician medically assesses them and then Noor Dubai’s medical team determines whether their diagnoses are suitable for treatment in Dubai. The communication of patient cases from the local physicians to Noor Dubai occurs via email, post, and ORBIS Cyber-Sight, a telemedicine program.
Noor Dubai’s medical team uses the patient’s medical information in order to determine whether their current medical and surgical capabilities can restore sight to the patient. During the month of Ramadan, Noor Dubai offers a range of ophthalmologic surgeries, including operations such as cataract removal and transplants, retinal procedures, and strabismus (squint) correction.
Noor Dubai arranges the travel of each patient and a traveling companion to Dubai. Noor Dubai also arranges hotel accommodation, transport, and other logistics, which continues until the end of their recovery time.
Prevention programs aim to eliminate avoidable forms of blindness and visual impairment in developing countries guided by evidence-based methods.
Over 75% of the world’s blindness is avoidable, and these programs aim to eliminate these preventable causes of blindness. Solutions to preventable blindness have been available for decades, such as vitamin A supplementation programs.
Noor Dubai’s education initiatives involve increasing public awareness of the detrimental impact of blindness and visual impairment on individual’s lives and on society as a whole, and exposure to the training of those involved in the alleviation of blindness and visual impairment.
The education of health professionals is a sustainable method of ensuring that patients in developing countries have access to trained health professionals in their home country.
Website: http://www.noor-dubai.org
