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Muscat Eye Laser Center appoints new Scientific Director


Muscat Eye Laser Center, the Sultanate’s leading eye-care services provider, has significantly ramped up its clinical, surgical and research capabilities with the appointment of a highly qualified refractive surgeon to its world-class team of professionals.

Dr. Juan G. Gaviria, a Colombian citizen of international repute, joins the Center as Scientific Director – a new post especially created in line with the Center’s expanding role not only as the nation’s premier eye-care facility in the private sector, but also as an up-and-coming specialist research institution in its own right.

In his new role, Dr. Gaviria will provide added impetus to the Center’s growing scientific, clinical and surgical responsibilities. In particular, he will oversee the expanding portfolio of research initiatives undertaken by Muscat Eye Laser Center, coordinate surgical procedures and most importantly, extend his considerable professional expertise towards the smooth handling of the Center’s rising caseload of eye surgeries.

"We are immensely proud to add someone of Dr. Gaviria’s calibre to our team," said Dr. Maria Clara Arbelaez, an internationally distinguished eye surgeon and co-founder and Medical Director of Muscat Eye Laser Center. “His outstanding skill as a surgeon and impeccable qualifications are sure to be a great asset for our practice and our patients.”

Dr. Gaviria comes with impressive credentials, having performed thousands of cataract surgeries and laser vision procedures during a remarkable professional career spanning eight years in his native Colombia. He is a member of a number of national and international professional fraternities, notably the American Academy of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Colombian Society of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Ophthalmology and the International Society of Refractive Surgery.

With Dr. Gaviria’s appointment, Muscat Eye Laser Center effectively bolsters its in-house surgical team to a total of five surgeons comprising Dr. Maria Arbelaez, Dr. Jose Lievano, Dr. Bernardita Sekito, and the world-renowned visiting specialist Dr. Takayuki Akahoshi. Four of these specialists are based in Muscat who not only conduct the surgical procedures, but are also available for follow-ups post surgery. Their complementary specialties afford Muscat Eye Laser Center the unmatched ability to provide a complete array of international-class surgical eye-care services to patients in the Sultanate.

Part of Dr. Gaviria’s forte is his penchant for research – a passion he shares with Dr. Maria Arbelaez whose work has received acclaim at international forums. The Center’s research activities are driven by a desire to continuously improve its practice with a safe, effective, efficient and hassle-free surgical care to its patients. Towards this goal, the Center routinely reviews outcomes of surgeries performed at the clinic with a view to fine-tuning and honing procedures, thereby enabling the delivery of consistently superior services at exacting standards. Currently in hand are 16 research initiatives focusing on laser surgery, keratoconus diagnosis and treatment and improvements in cataract surgery, among others.

Commenting on his new posting, Dr Gaviria said, “I’m delighted to be part of a team of committed professionals at a facility where services and standards are truly international-class. The emphasis on patient safety at the Center is indeed overwhelming. In particular, it’s a great opportunity to work side by side with Dr. Maria, whose stature as an eye surgeon is highly regarded around the world.”

Jointly established by Sameer Al Awam and Dr. Maria Clara Arbelaez in April 2002, Muscat Eye Laser Center is Oman’s leading eye care centre specialising in refractive surgery using advanced technology and procedures. Centrally located in Sarooj, the Center has two fully equipped operating theatres, six consultation and meeting rooms, six diagnostic and four preparation rooms. It has recently been accredited with the ISO 9001: 2008 certification for quality system.

The specialist team is led by Dr. Maria Clara Arbelaez, an internationally recognised corneal transplant and refractive surgeon from Colombia with over 20 years of experience in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Middle East. For more information, visit the website www.muscateye.com or the blog http://muscateye.blogspot.com/

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