These days, as the war continues, many patients are avoiding essential diagnostic tests and medical treatments – a situation that may harm their health, potentially leading to blindness.
One example is intraocular injection treatments, administered to patients with various retinal diseases, primarily age-related macular degeneration (AMD), as well as vascular eye diseases caused by diabetes. These conditions require a continuous course of injections into the eye in order to preserve vision and prevent deterioration.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in the Western world among people over the age of 65. Treatment is provided following diagnosis by a retinal specialist, who may prescribe a series of intraocular injections if necessary. In most cases, this treatment successfully halts the progression of the disease and may even improve vision in some patients.
At Mor Institute, from the very first day of the outbreak of the war, staff contacted all patients requiring intraocular injections to ensure they would continue to attend and receive treatment despite the security challenges. This effort reflects the critical importance of treatment continuity, as any delay in administering injections may result in irreversible damage to vision.
In addition, Mor ensured that treatments would be provided near protected spaces in order to guarantee the safety of patients and medical teams during this period. As a result, nearly 100% of Mor’s patients continued to arrive for treatment. At the same time, the institute stepped in to provide care for patients from hospitals and medical organizations that are currently unable to offer this service due to the emergency situation.
Mor also expanded its operations and deployed retinal specialists to its branches across the country. For example, Prof. Dov Weinberger, Head of the Ophthalmology Division at Mor and former director of the Ophthalmology Department at Beilinson Hospital, volunteered to provide services to residents of Beersheba and the surrounding area – both Mor patients and those from other hospitals and providers who are not currently performing these treatments – all with the goal of preserving patients’ vision.
“From the very first day of the war, it was important for us to continue providing sight-saving treatment to our patients,” said Mor CEO Yoram Segal. “We ensured the continued provision of intraocular injection services throughout the country – for Mor patients and for anyone in need of this treatment – and even strengthened and expanded the service. We are pleased to see that patients continue to come and receive treatment, thereby preserving their vision.”