Szemészet, 2004 (141. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
2004-06-01 / 2. szám
141. évfolyam (2004) The influence of Hungarian ophthalmologists on Polish ophthalmology. The Lublin example Zbigniew Zagórski Tadeusz Krwawicz Chair of Ophthalmology and Ist Eye Hospital, Skubiszewski Medical University of Lublin, Poland Modern ophthalmology in Lublin started with the establishment of the Medical Faculty at Lublin University in 1944. This was followed by opening of the University Eye Hospital, which was chaired by Professor Tadeusz Krwawicz from 1948 till 1980. Famous Hungarian ophthalmologists, especially László Blaskovics and József Imre, were known to every ophthalmologists as surgical technique named after them were frequently used. Levator shortening acc. to Blaskovics was performed in most cases of ptosis, the same was true about entropion surgery and these two methods are used till our days. Blaskovics techniques were also used in pterygium and glaucoma surgery. The book “Eingriffe am Auge” by Blaskovics, Ketessy and Vörösmarthy in German (1938 and 1970 editions), were ones of very few manulas available in the post-war times in Lublin. His cyclodialysis modification was more commonly used than the original method of Heine. Imre name was remembered when plastic operations were performed, especially the arcuate plasty. In the late fifties Lublin Eye Hospital was conducting basic research with cryogenic techniques, especially with the preparation of lyophilized corneal grafts. In 1959, in an attempt to freeze the rabbit lens in situ, Krwawicz developed a new technique of intracapsular cataract removal, cryoextraction, which started the era of cryo-ophthalmology, influenced other medical specialties and made his name, as well as the Lublin hospital, famous worldwide. Krwawicz was one of few Polish ophthalmologists traveling extensively abroad in these times. He visited also Hungary, where his methods were introduced and received the honorary doctorate of the Semmelweiss University in Budapest on 1976. The first international meeting well attended by Polish ophthalmologists was the 4th Congress of the European Society of Ophthalmology, organized by Magda Radnot in Budapest in 1972. This resulted in establishing of contacts and co-operation with ophthalmologists abroad and facilitated the development of ophthalmology in East-European countries. Hungarian ophthalmologists started to visit Poland and I remember a visit of Prof. Béla Alberth at our department in Lublin in early 70th, where he gave an excellent lecture on keratoplasty. This showed us current advanced techniques and stimulated further development of keratoplasty in Lublin. These years were more liberal in our block and we could meet Hungarian Ophthalmologists at international meetings, as SOE 1976 in Hamburg and 1980 in Brighton, where I could meet again Prof. Bela Alberth. After 1981, with the Marshall Law introduction in Poland in reaction to the Solidarity movement, foreign contact of Polish ophthalmologists were restricted for several years, however, in the late 80th, we were meeting at conferences of some more specialized groups, like European Cornea Conference and Association for Eye Research. The bilateral contacts improved after collapse of the Soviet Union and democratic changes in our region after 1989. Polish ophthalmologists, including a numerous group from Lublin, were attending excellent meetings organized in Hungary, like European Cornea Conference in 1994, European Eye Bank Association Meeting in 1995, EOPS and 11th SOE in 1997. We had the pleasure to host ophthalmologists from Hungary in Poland at meetings organized by our Lublin department, including Prof. Berta (European Cornea Conference) 1995, Prof. Süveges (International Conference “Ophthalmology in the Middle and Eastern Europe” and the 1st Polish-Ukrainian Conference in Ophthalmology) in 1997, Prof. Kovács and the International Symposium “Glaucoma and PEX Syndrome” in 1999, Dr. Gabor and Dr. Csako at the Regional International Ocular Surface Society meeting in 2000. At the conference in 1997 where we could analyze the status of ophthalmology in former eastern block countries it appeared that Hungarian ophthalmology was faster adapting to the changes in our region and was further advanced than in Poland. It was evident in cataract surgery ratio, including phacoemulsification and keratoplasty ratio and was a stimulus to increase the development of these techniques in Poland, which has place in the last several years. Another field of cooperation are multicenter clinical trials, like Optonol’s Express Glaucoma device and CAT in trabeculectomy studies, where both Hungarian and our hospitals participated. The access of Hungary and Poland to the European Union this year gives new possibilities for further co-operation, like common EU projects, and we hope that these opportunities will be fulfilled. 4 June 2004 - Influence of Hungarian ophthalmologists outside the country
