Dr Aleksandra Eger SOE Grant Placement AHEPA Hospital Department Of Ophthalmology Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

At the beginning I would like to thank very much to the European Society of Ophthalmology, because it enabled me to improve my education and work in one of the reference glaucoma center in the South East Europe. I am a five years ophthalmology resident from Serbia – Department of Ophthalmology KBC Zemun, Belgrade. During July 2012 I have been in a one mounth observership program in AHEPA Hospital A`Department of Ophthalmology Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. This center is the reference center for glaucoma in Northern Greece and I had the opportunity to observe protocols of clinical examinations of various glaucoma types and to personally examine the most interesting cases. In addition, I had opportunity to attend glaucoma surgery including trabeculectomy with Mitomycin and Ahmed glaucoma valve surgery, as well as laser suturelysis and needling procedures.
I was exposed to the ongoing research activities of the Laboratory of Research and Clinical Applications in Ophthalmology in the same department. The fields of interest in the Laboratory include glaucoma and medical retina, ophthalmic epidemiology, genetics, imaging and ocular blood flow. In the same Laboratory I had the opportunity to acquire experience in the use and interpretation of various imaging devices such as Spectral Domain OCT Spectralis and angiography, Time Domain Status OCT, GDx, HRT and HRF.
In addition, I also participated in the training program and what is particularly important I underwent the optic disk evaluation training trial including the classification of optic disk photos based on the protocol of the European Optick Disk Assessment Trial to which this Laboratory is part of.
On this occasion I would also like to thank to the staff of the hospital AHEPA for their great support, hospitality and care. The colleagues I worked with on daily basis accepted me very well and made my stay at their department very pleasant. While staying and working there I met very nice and dear people who tried very hard to help me, supported me and made my stay and work very nice and beneficial. I owe particular gratitude to the Professor Dr Fotis Topouzis for his great attention and support. The time I spent with him has had an important influence on the improvement of my professional knowledge. I would like also to add that I felt his sincere support regarding my professional advancement. At the end of the Program I was provided with certificate signed by Prof. Dr F.Topouzis. I am certain that this experience will be of a great benefit for my future practice in ophthalmology, as well as for my hospital. Concluding this letter I would like to thank once again to the European Society of Ophthalmology because it offered me this excellent opportunity to be a part of this Program which is certainly very beneficial for my future hospital work and for gaining further education in my profession that I like very much and try very much to do the best I can. Sincerely yours, Dr Aleksandra Eger