Eyeless in Baghdad -The Banin Appeal
4 months old BANIN was brought to the private Baghdad clinic of Dr.
Mohammed Salman, ophthalmic surgeon. She had non opened her eyes since her
birth, but tears came out when she cried.
On clinical inspection, the lids of both eyes were shortened, thin and
caved in. Eyelashes were present, palpebral fissures reduced in their
vertical and horizontal diameters.
Bilateral Anophthalmos
Examination of the sockets was difficult, but when opened by lid
retractors, the surprise was that both sockets were shallow, reduced in
anteroposterior diameter, with a small cul-de-sac and completely lined by
conjunctiva with absence of both eyeballs
No associated malformations were detected. The medical history of the
mother during pregnancy, showed no illness or drug intake, but her husband
was a soldier in the Iraqi tank power troops which was exposed to the U.S
army attack by anti-tank missile, as well as a cruise missile explosion
took place near her house short time before pregnancy, probability of
exposure to radiation by Depleted Uranium.
Banin needs a prosthesis this year -in the first year of life for cosmetic
purposes, and to avoid entropion and deficiency of the cul-de-sac which
become a problem requiring multiple surgical interventions.
"All the doctors know well that such a case is extremely rare and reported
cases of unilateral anophthalmos mentioned in some of the books were few in
the world. As an ophthalmic surgeon, since 1974, I never saw such a case
before. What is surprising in this subject that since 1999 till now, I saw
3 similar cases.
Asking my colleagues, Iraqi ophthalmologists, they told me that each of
them saw 1-4 cases of such anomalies during this period. I didn't find any
explanation, except the radiation effect of Depleted Uranium, and I think I
am certainly right.
Please help in any way you know to bring this injustice to a standstill. We
suffer twice, once like the rest of our countrymen, and once as clinicians,
denied access to the rapidly moving wheel in the art and science of
healing, because of this unjust scientific embargo.
With Banin's compliment and her PLEA for help-" Dr. Mohammed A. Salman,
Ophthalmic Surgeon, Baghdad- IRAQ
Tel. (+9641) 415 3334- Fax. (+9641) 719 6559 11-May-2000
Further details contact Pekka or Pauline on (+613) 9663 3677 at C.I.C.D.
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