Department of pediatric ophthalmology Comenius University

The Department of Paediatric Ophthalmology at the Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, and the National Institute of Children's Diseases (KDO) in Bratislava is the only specialized facility in Slovakia focusing on children's eye diseases.

Since its inception in 1991, the department's activity has been steadily increasing in terms of quality and quantity in all areas of its work:

1/ therapeutic and preventive

2/ educational

3/ scientific research, lecturing and publishing

To achieve its goals, the department currently has two general outpatient departments and specialized outpatient care and consultation departments: glaucoma, strabological, electro-physiology, vascular-metabolic, neonatal, ophthalmogenetic, oncological, neuro-ophthalmologic, and outpatient department for uveitis.

The inpatient department includes 9 rooms and has a capacity of 15 stable beds for children with the possibility of hospitalization for parents with small children or children with special needs. There is also a room available for parents with children with premium equipment.

Preventive and Therapeutic Activities of the Department 

The department provides care for children up to 19 years old and exceptionally for adults with certain diseases that persist from childhood (strabismus, glaucoma, congenital and hereditary abnormalities), with which the clinic has long-standing experience.

The department performs diagnostic, surgical, and conservative treatments of high standards, in line with worldwide practices, for paediatric patients with all eye diseases. 

The introduction of new methods continually improves the department's work. Current diagnostic and treatment methods include:

- Diagnostic methods: 

• state-of-the-art OCT device 

• electrophysiological examination methods 

• strabological examination methods 

• fundus camera RetCam III, which allows for diagnosis and photo documentation of patients in lying or general anaesthesia positions 

• tonometry using the I CARE device, suitable for patients in lying or general anaesthesia positions 

• collaboration in molecular genetics with the Institute of Experimental Endocrinology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and our genetics department 

• new ultrasound device 

• analyzer of the anterior segment 

• expansion of screening for ametropia and amblyopia using a new photorefrator.

 - Treatment methods: 

 • improved effectiveness of ROP treatment using the latest anti-VEGF factors. 

• introduction of intra-arterial and intravitreal chemotherapy for ocular tumours 

• new surgical methods using Medpor implant for the orbit 

• new modifications of surgeries for strabological syndromes 

• use of Expres and Ahmed implants for glaucoma 

• orthoptic exercises using a stereo trainer

- Interdisciplinary collaboration continues and is improving, particularly in the following areas: 

• metabolic examinations with the 1st Paediatric department for numerous enzymopathies 

• consultations, screening, and early treatment of retinopathy of premature infants - within and   outside the clinic 

• the latest method of intra-arterial cannula application of cytostatics to the ophthalmic artery in collaboration with CINRE 

• collaboration with the Children's Eye departments in Brno and Prague. 

In addition to comprehensive preventive and therapeutic care in paediatric ophthalmology, the department also provides services for the adult population in the following areas: 

 • electrophysiological examinations 

• ophthalmogenetic consultations 

• operations for complicated strabismus, nystagmus, and ptosis 

• management of all patients who have reached 18 years of age and require follow-up care with us

The admission of patients for outpatient examination or hospitalization is carried out by referral from their ophthalmologists.

Educational Activity of the Department 

- is the other important activity of the department 

In undergraduate education, it involves teaching ophthalmology to our domestic and international students in the 4th-5th year of the Faculty of Medicine. 

In postgraduate activity, the department hosts about 13-16 doctors annually for short-term 1-week and long-term up to 3-month stays. In 2008, our workplace obtained authorization for postgraduate education in ophthalmology within the Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava and performs specialization exams in cooperation with the Ophthalmology department of the Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and University Hospital Bratislava. It also cooperates in pre-degree preparation with the Eye Clinic of the Slovak Medical University and University Hospital Bratislava. 

We regularly organize accredited certified training for orthoptic nurses.

Scientific-research, lecturing and publishing activity of the Department 

The department also develops successful cooperation with foreign departments such as the Ophthalmology Clinic in Brno, Prague, Warsaw, and Giessen. 

The Paediatric Ophthalmology department has collaborated and is collaborating on many international studies such as RAINBOW, RAINBOW - extension, FIREFLEYE, and FIREFLEYE - extension on the efficacy and safety of intravitreal therapy for retinopathy of premature children, Dolphin and STAAR on the efficacy and safety of administering diluted concentrations of atropine in the treatment of myopia in children.

Since 2013, the department has been conducting a research project on the prevention of neonatal causes of blindness with grant support funded by the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic. 

The current orientation of the workplace is in research on the following diagnostic areas of paediatric ophthalmology, which are the subject of projects and doctoral studies: retinopathy of premature children, strabismus, glaucoma, retinal dystrophy, compensation of amblyopia, ultrasonographic diagnosis, electrophysiological diagnosis, optical coherence tomography, and improvement of many microsurgical techniques.

Each year, the department's doctors participate in professional events of domestic and foreign character, jointly giving about 40 lectures, including 7 presentations abroad, having about 6 publications and 10 SCI and SCOPUS citations. 

The Paediatric Ophthalmology department organizes professional events:

• Slovak Ophthalmological Congresses twice a year 

• International Paediatric Ophthalmology Symposia with the Czech Ophthalmological Society 

  alternating between Litomyšl and Bratislava