SAIPAN — Dr. David Khorram, co-founder and medical director of Marianas Eye Institute, is back on island seeing patients at the clinic from August through October while MEI awaits the arrival of its incoming permanent ophthalmologist.
Khorram lived and served in Saipan from 1993 to 2014, first at the Commonwealth Health Center and then at Marianas Eye Institute, building lasting relationships with patients and families across the community. He now lives in Portugal and spends much of his time in global ophthalmology work with Cure Blindness Project, an organization working to eliminate preventable and treatable blindness in underserved regions around the world.
“Every community I work in, from island populations like our own to those in Ethiopia and Ghana where I usually go, has the same problem: vision loss that could have been caught and treated years earlier,” Khorram said. “It’s been a problem in the CNMI for all the years I was here, mostly because people wait too long before getting care.”
During his time in the clinic, Khorram is encouraging new and returning patients to come in for a comprehensive eye exam, with particular attention to three conditions that are common, serious and often undetected until real damage is done.
Diabetic eye disease is a leading cause of vision loss in the CNMI, where diabetes is common. Diabetic retinopathy, damage to the retina from long-term high blood sugar, often causes no symptoms in its early stages, making regular exams essential for anyone living with diabetes.
Glaucoma, sometimes called the silent thief of sight, damages the optic nerve gradually and painlessly, often with no warning before vision is permanently lost. Routine eye pressure checks and optic nerve exams are the only reliable way to catch it early, and MEI recommends a screening exam for anyone over 40.
Childhood myopia is increasing worldwide and can progress quickly if unmanaged, raising the risk of more serious eye problems later in life. Early evaluation opens treatment options that have been proven over the past decade to slow that progression.
“This is really about reconnecting with the community and making sure people get the screening and follow-up care they need,” Khorram said. “Many of these patients I’ve known for years, and I’m glad to be back seeing them.”
Appointments can be made by visiting Marianas Eye Institute or calling 235-9090.
