Ask the expert

Would you like to speak with an expert who cares for lots of patients with inherited sight loss conditions and has a detailed knowledge of the field?

Consultant Ophthalmologist Dr Mariya Moosajee is kindly offering a limited number of 1-1 informal phone calls with the Retina UK community during lockdown. To register call Jacqui on 07841 486008.

A message from Dr Mariya Moosajee:

I am a Consultant Ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, and an Associate Professor leading a research group at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and the Francis Crick Institute. I specialise in Genetic Eye Disease and spend half of my normal working week seeing patients in clinic with conditions including inherited retinal diseases. During the rest of the week, I am researching into understanding the cause of these conditions and developing new potential treatments that will hopefully benefit patients in the future.

Over this lockdown, I have continued my clinics at Moorfields but virtually – through video consultations and telephone calls. Being in contact with their specialist has provided my patients with a lot of comfort during this worrying time. For the past couple of weeks, I felt I needed to do more to help people. Sadly, my intensive care skills are not up to scratch (although I may still be redeployed to the Nightingale Hospital), but what I can offer is advice and guidance to patients with rare genetic eye diseases. So I have reached out to Retina UK, Aniridia Network and MACS Charity to suggest I offer a weekly “Ask the Expert” session for their members.

Availability permitting, on a Thursday morning I would be more than happy to give you a call for a one-to-one chat and to answer any questions about the following:

• Your condition (and if I don’t know the answer will point you in the right direction)
• Provide advice on getting connected with specialist services
• Accessing genetic testing
• Interpreting your genetic result
• Provide updates on research and clinical trials that may be applicable

This will not be a formal clinical consultation, and as such, I will not be taking clinical notes. The conversation will remain completely confidential, and you do not have to be a patient seen at Moorfields Eye Hospital or Great Ormond Street Hospital.  I will only be able to offer strict 20 minute slots to allow me to speak to  as many people as possible. I really hope you will find this helpful especially whilst many of you are in isolation. It is a terrible time and we must support each other as much as we can. I look forward to speaking with you.

Stay safe and take care,

Best wishes

Mariya