Enjoy the wonderful report from Mourad EL OUFI, an orthoptist from Morocco, who visited Belgium on behalf of the IOA Exchange Program.
IOA Exchange Program Visit to Belgium: September 2016
Mourad EL OUFI, Orthoptist in Prefectural hospital Center of Casablanca, Morocco
It was a wonderful experience in UZA (Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen). I received plenty of valuable and useful information in orthoptics and ocular motility clinics…and of course I also enjoyed Antwerpen.
Despite the problem of language (as I speak not Dutch), Ms Daisy did a lot of efforts so that I can communicate with the medical entourage and the orthoptists, I can also note that there were Arab and Belgian patients that I spoke with them normally.
In this experience I had the opportunity to do many activities related to the field of orthoptics, in the service the orthoptists they did everything to teach me some news in: diagnosis of strabismus, treatment of Amblyopia, treatment of oculomotor paralysis, nystagmus, and techniques in the field of botulinum toxin…
I was fortunate to be present during consultations of adult and child patients as well as consultations in electrophysiological explorations, and also able to assist in an operation of strabismus in the operative block…
I had the opportunity to do a lot of discussions with students’ ophthalmologists and with optometrists.
For a few days I was able to attend with Miss Van Diesel some sessions of rehabilitation in low vision of which I could see many interesting techniques…
It should also be noted that during the internship I took advantage of the free accommodation and with a free meal in the hospital.
I am deeply appreciative to the IOA Exchange Program and would like to add my special thanks to Katherine J. Fray, the director of the IOA Exchange Program and Daisy Godts, the orthoptist who welcomed me in Belgium and taught me many interesting things. You helped me realize my dream of observing orthoptics in other countries so we can try to organize the profession in our country. I hope it is only beginning of our cooperation between orthoptics and Morocco.
Sincerely yours
Mourad EL OUFI
