Ophthalmology - Eye Department

Jamal Bleik, MD, MSc, FRCSEd, FRCOphth
Clinical Professor and Chairman
Department of Ophthalmology
Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine
Lebanese American University
LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital
Email: jamal.bleik@lau.edu.lb

Dr. Bleik joined the LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine faculty and the LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital in January 2009 with the mission of building on the history of the department. In fact, Dr. Bleik was one of the founders of the Beirut Eye Specialist Center in 1994 at Rizk Hospital, one of the early subspeciality eye centers in Lebanon, and the precursor of the current eye department. The plan for space and equipment renovation, as well as expert personnel recruitment is underway, with a target and vision of building a leading multispecialty ophthalmology department, both nationally and internationally. The core value for the success of our mission is excellence in patient-centered care.

Currently the ophthalmology team consists of optometrists, orthoptists, nurses and administrative assistants as well as ophthalmologists who are subspecialists in the various fields of ophthalmology. The subspecialists are experts in their fields and offer world-class care for our patients. The team works as a single unit whereby expertise from various team members is solicited when needed to deliver the best expert care that our patients deserve. This allows for exchange of ideas, case discussions, and patient referrals among colleagues to guarantee that a particular patient receives the best care possible from experts in the field. This can prove to be very valuable to patients and their families especially in rare or complicated eye conditions that may require unusual management or surgical procedures.

In addition, being part of a university hospital, our department has an active residency training program whereby new physicians are being prepared to become our future eye doctors. Residents are our ambassadors to other areas of the country and the world. We take pride in the quality of training we deliver to our residents and we feel privileged to be taking part in building the healthcare future of our country.

Thank you for visiting our web page. We hope it will provide you with the information you need whether you are a patient or an applicant interested in our residency training program. Please don't hesitate to contact us for any further information you may need.

Clinical Assistant Professor,

Department of Ophthalmology

Wide field retinal imaging

This new imaging technology is available only in our medical center and not anywhere else in the country. The technology allows for imaging the entire retina in one image and in seconds. It helps improve detection and documentation of retinal diseases such as diabetic retinal disease, inflammatory eye disease and retinal cancers.

Retinal rejuvenation therapy

This new laser technology will only be available in our medical center and not anywhere else in the country or the Middle East. It allows for retinal remodeling and in regenerating specific retinal cells. It is applicable for various retinal diseases, especially macular degeneration and diabetic retinal edema. In macular degeneration, this laser technology may prevent progression of the disease to more advanced blinding stages, which in turn not only saves vision, but also may help patients avoid the potential need for more intensive, costly and risky treatment with intraocular injections later on.

Our residents are provided with comprehensive and surgical training, whether they wish to purse a subspecialty fellowship, join a private practice or pursue an academic career. Our residents, given progressive and graded responsibility, are offered opportunities to develop the requisite skills to become outstanding ophthalmologists.

Apply for an ophthalmology residency here: http://medicine.lau.edu.lb/gme/

Medical Students
We offer electives for third and fourth year medical students from different medical schools. LAU medical students rotate in our department for 2 weeks during their fourth year of training. During their rotation, students are exposed to general and sub-specialty ophthalmology. Students will be taught essential ophthalmic examination techniques, participate in patient examinations, and observe ophthalmic surgery.

Dr. Bleik then travelled to the USA where he pursued his studies in ophthalmology and completed a Fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus from the Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, and another Fellowship in Ophthalmic Genetics from the Wilmer Eye Institute, the Johns Hopkins Centre for Hereditary Eye Diseases, Baltimore, Maryland.

Dr. Bleik holds numerous prestigious academic titles and honors in Ophthalmology: Professor and Chief of Ophthalmology at the Lebanese University, Past Chairman of the Arab Board of Ophthalmology (2011-2019), Past President of the Lebanese Ophthalmological Society (2013-2015), and the Secretary General of MEAPOSS (Middle East and Africa Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Society). Dr. Bleik is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Lebanese Medical Journal, the official publication of the Lebanese Order of Physicians, and of the International Journal of Ophthalmology & Vision Research.

Dr. Bleik has a vast medical and surgical experience in the field of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. He is often invited to share his experience in several Arab countries. On the international level, Dr Bleik has been appointed on the advisory board of IPOSC, the international pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus council since its first founding meeting in Singapore in 2013 and to date. He has more than 50 participations in local, regional, and international scientific meetings.

Dr. Bleik is the author of more than 19 peer-reviewed publications in prestigious journals. His most recent work has been published in the journal of AAPOS on IOL implantation in children. During his career, Dr. Jamal Bleik was recognized on many occasions and has received six awards for his research and presentations.

Dr. Jamal Bleik has also acted as Interim Chairman for the LAUSOM Department of Ophthalmology from May 1, 2016 until Dec 31, 2017.