A medical team from King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital has succeeded in performing two surgeries for the treatment of neurotrophic keratitis. This surgery depends on transferring a nerve from the leg and connecting it to a healthy sensory nerve in the eye. This is a new achievement for the Kingdom at the medical level and it shows its uniqueness at the level of the Middle East countries.

These two rare surgeries are as a result of global partnerships programs, international cooperation between the hospital and the world advanced medical centers in the field of ophthalmology, sharing global experiences, training physicians at the hospital, and localizing the latest modern treatment methods to serve the patients in the Kingdom in order to receive health services and treatment techniques comparable to the largest international hospitals specialized in ophthalmology.

The medical team has performed the surgery for two Saudi male patients suffering from corneal sensitivity nerve damage, which caused repeated scratches and infections in the cornea that affected the vision negatively. During the two surgeries, with the participation of an expert from the United States of America in the field of oculoplastic surgery, a nerve was transferred from the leg and connected to a healthy sensory nerve in the eye, to gradually regain the sensation of the cornea within 3 to 12 months. Therefore, corneal infections and scratches, worsening of patient condition and vision deterioration will be decreased or prevented.

This surgery is one of the rare surgeries performed at King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, which reflects the great development the hospital is witnessing, the use of the latest treatment technologies in the world, the excellence of the medical and research team. It is worth mentioning that King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital is one of the best specialized hospitals in the world, according to the recently issued Newsweek magazine list.