Governor Sergey Eroshchenko congratulated the Irkutsk branch of the Eye Microsurgery center on its 25th anniversary and noted its high level of work, with over 500,000 surgeries and laser operations in a quarter century.

Governor Sergey Eroshchenko congratulated the team of highly qualified ophthalmologists on their 25th anniversary. The meeting, timed to coincide with the anniversary, was attended by members of the regional government, chief ophthalmologists from regions of Russia, heads of branches of the S.N. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery MNTK, and chief physicians of medical institutions in the Irkutsk Region. In addition, the ceremonial event was attended by the Chairwoman of the Legislative Assembly of the Angara Region, Lyudmila Mikhailovna Berlina, the director of the Irkutsk branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution S.N. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery MNTK of the Russian Ministry of Health, Andrey Gennadyevich Shchuko, and the Irkutsk writer Valentin Rasputin.
The Irkutsk branch of the S.N. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery MNTK was opened on August 8, 1989. Over a quarter of a century of work, more than 500,000 microsurgical and laser operations have been performed on patients from various regions of Russia and from countries near and far abroad. The main share of MNTK patients (about 70%) are residents of Irkutsk and the region.
Scientists working at MNTK have developed original surgical techniques for treating socially significant eye diseases, such as the use of trans-pupillary thermotherapy in the treatment of acute vascular disorders, retinal vein thrombosis, and optic nerve ischemia—conditions that threaten complete loss of vision in young people, as well as the development of an algorithm for preventive measures for patients with glaucoma. A priority of MNTK’s work is the fight against age-related macular degeneration of the retina and cataracts, and glaucoma; these diseases are noted as the main cause of blindness and, as a result, visual disability. In 2013, 17.6 thousand patients were treated at the branch and 24.1 thousand operations were performed. Of these, 904 received treatment under high-tech medical care, funded from the federal and regional budgets. 10.9 thousand people were treated at the expense of compulsory medical insurance funds. In the period from 1995 to 2013, MNTK specialists managed to reduce the number of advanced glaucoma cases from 30% to 14.5%, thereby not only preserving patients’ ability to work, but also reducing financial treatment costs.
The Irkutsk branch of MNTK is a school of advanced experience. “The MNTK Eye Microsurgery branch has a highly professional team, and the latest technologies and equipment are used,” said Sergey Eroshchenko. The Governor ceremoniously presented MNTK employees with the badge “Excellent Worker of Public Health,” a certificate of honor from the Russian Ministry of Health, and honorary certificates from the Governor. This was reported by the regional government press service. The branch currently employs 419 staff members, including 4 Honored Doctors of the Russian Federation, 1 Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, 2 professors, 3 doctors and 17 candidates of medical sciences, and 43 doctors have the highest qualification category. A children’s department and an outpatient department, an interterritorial laser surgery center have been opened, branches have been created in the cities of the Irkutsk Region and ophthalmology offices in city polyclinics; also, the departments of eye diseases of the Irkutsk Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education and the Irkutsk State Medical University operate on the basis of the institution.
Based on materials from the press service of the Government of the Irkutsk Region.