The Department of Ophthalmology and Surgery at the Lebanese American University Medical Center – Rizk Hospital has recently performed a one of kind eye procedure in Lebanon; the iStent inject® which helps to restore the natural fluid flow on the patient eye and safely lowers the eye pressure.
This first of a kind procedure was performed by Dr. Roland Seif, a faculty member of the Department of Ophthalmology at the LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine. It consisted of placing the first iStent inject® device for the treatment of glaucoma, which was very successful.
As a result, the LAU Medical Center Rizk Hospital Ophthalmology department announced on their official website that they’re proud to perform such a first of kind eye procedure in Lebanon.
As per the hospital, the “iStent inject® includes two tiny implants, which are the world’s smallest medical devices known to be implanted in the human body.”
The iStent inject® is “implanted during the cataract surgery, [and] helps to restore the natural fluid flow in the patient eye and safely lowers the eye pressure, one of the most important risk factors of glaucoma, which may eventually reduce patient’s reliance on glaucoma medication.”
An active member of the American Glaucoma Society, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Dr. Seif is known as “one of the few glaucoma specialists in Lebanon and the Middle East area.”
According to his website, “He is trained in all types of traditional as well as newer Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgeries. In addition to his unique glaucoma training, Dr. Seif has superior knowledge and interest in modern Cataract Surgery and the newer premium lenses used.”
He practices at the Clemenceau Medical Center in Beirut as well as at the Lebanese American University Medical Center– Rizk Hospital, which was known previously as Dr. Rizk Clinic.
The clinic was first established by Dr. Toufic Ibrahim Rizk (1892-1983) in 1925 as a private family-owned clinic. His dream and ambitions led him to build at the time a modern private medical center equipped with top medical facilities and employing innovative surgical techniques.
His dream came true in 1954 when the first stone of his new hospital was laid. Rizk Hospital opened its doors to the general public on February 11, 1957, through the inauguration of its 1st building (Building A) and gradually constructed many other ones through the years.
However, on June 30, 2009, the Rizk Family sold the hospital to Medical Care Holding, in which the Lebanese American University (LAU) possesses controlling interests. The hospital was renamed University Medical Center – Rizk Hospital.
The hospital now serves as the primary teaching hospital for LAU’s schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy, earning many Awards, Certifications, and Accreditations.
