Head of Department
Prof. C. O. Bekibele
Vision and mission and core values of the department
To be a world-class institution for ophthalmic training, research, and eye care.
Introduction
The Ophthalmology Unit started as a part of the Department of Surgery in 1962, later becoming a full-fledged department at about 1965. The primary functions of the department include training of medical students, as well as providing a block of lectures to BSc Nursing students on ophthalmic diseases and eye care. Postgraduate programs in the department include that for resident doctors on a six-year course through which they can be certified by the National Postgraduate medical College and/or the West African Postgraduate Medical College. Other training courses organized by the department include Clinical ophthalmology update courses on behalf of the West African College of Surgeons and the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, intra ocular lens courses, and diagnostic and clinical courses for the different subspecialties of cornea and anterior segment, glaucoma, retina, paediatric ophthalmology, oculoplasty and neuro ophthalmology. Community ophthalmology courses are also organized for various levels of community eye care workers. The MSc/ MPh / PhD and MD in Ophthalmology programs are also accredited by National Universities Commission and the maiden graduates of the MSc Ophthalmology program had their convocation in November 2017. In research, the department has been in the fore front of several Nigeria Field surveys, and clinical research are consistently planned and executed by individuals and groups in the department. Publications, memoranda and data emanating from research in the department have been invaluable to the development of ophthalmology in Africa south of the Sahara. Services provided in the department include diagnostic as well as management of various eye diseases with patients often referred from all over the country but mostly from the south western states of the country.
Staff strength
The Department has a staff strength of 63 comprising 19 Consultants, 4 Optometrists, 1 optometrist intern, 26 Residents and 14 support Staff.
Activities in the department
The Department has 8 subspecialty treatment areas and 2 other support units which comprise of
- Cornea and anterior segment – provides cornea transplant, cataract surgery and others.
- Glaucoma — glaucoma treatment and care
- Vitreoretinal – treatment for retinal diseases including retinal detachment and diabetic retinopathy
- Orbit and oculoplasty – treatment for eye cancer and reconstruction
- Paediatric – wide range of children eye care
- Neuro-ophthalmology –care for diseases of the visual pathway
- Low vision rehabilitation – rehabilitation of those with low vision
- Community outreach unit – outreach care
- Ophthalmic instrument maintenance unit – care of instruments
- Optometry unit – provides optical support including, refraction and contact Lens care
The Department provides daily out patients clinics, supported by an optical shop operated on PPP-arrangement. Daily surgical operations are carried out with the support of a 28 bed ward. The various subspecialties provide world class treatment and diagnostics.
A high tech diagnostic support provides investigations such as Humphrey visual field analysis, Optical coherence tomography, fundus photography, cornea pachymetry as well as A-scan and keratometry.
