Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1494707
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 MARCH 2023 9 COMMERICAL AS the world's second leading cause of blindness, numbers for glaucoma are expected to increase over the coming years, which is a growing public health concern. Furthermore, due to the silent progression of the dis- ease - at least in its early stages - up to 50% of affected persons in the developed countries are not even aware of having glaucoma, increasing in underdeveloped countries. Locally data is still lacking, however Prof Carbona- ro and his team are performing a national survey to determine the prevalence of eye disease in Malta, glaucoma being one of the disorders investigated. Glaucoma is an eye disorder with few symptoms in its early stages; often referred to as the "silent blinder" where the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, becomes damaged. It is usually caused by fluid build- up in the front part of the eye, which increases the pressure inside the eye. When glaucoma damages the optic nerve, patch- es of vision are lost, often result- ing in loss of peripheral vision first, which then encroaches on the central vision. Earlier this year a new glau- coma procedure, proven to cut procedure time by half, was per- formed on six patients at Mater Dei Hospital by Ophthalmic Surgeon, Prof. Francis Carbon- aro. This new implant, Preserf- lo®, is a device which forms part of group of implants known as Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery – MIGS. This very small tube meas- uring only 8.5mm, is inserted into the eye to drain fluid and reduce the pressure. Studies have shown that it is safer than standard glaucoma surgery, but just as effective, and the surgery is performed in less than half the time of a normal glaucoma pro- cedure with less post-operative follow-up required. Professor Carbonaro said "Pa- tients will benefit greatly from the availability of Preserflo® as it is a highly effective, minimally invasive and safe new method, to combat glaucoma; which doesn't compromise on efficacy,." He added that all six patients were doing very well at their two and four-week follow-up appoint- ments. Professor Carbonaro currently leads The Malta Eye Study, which aims to gather much-needed da- ta to determine the prevalence of common eye disorders like Glaucoma, in Malta and how much they contribute to visual impairment and blindness. New surgical implant for glaucoma management BDO appoints two new directors in Malta March marks World Glaucoma Week, an international initiative aimed at raising awareness on the need to tackle the ever-increasing challenges posed by glaucoma TWO new Directors have re- cently been appointed to sit on the Board of Directors of two companies forming part of BDO Malta, as the globally recognised brand prepares it- self for further growth in Mal- ta. As of February 24, Colin Calleja is Director of Risk at BDO Consult Ltd, while from February 1, Ivan Spiteri is Di- rector of Technology Advisory and Assurance at BDO Tech- nology Advisory Ltd. "These appointments add a wealth of experience and ex- pertise that will be invaluable as we continue to grow and evolve our business," says BDO Malta CEO Mark Attard. "The company will be in a stronger position to continue delivering the highest quality service to our clients, while simultane- ously expanding its capabilities and governance structure." Colin Calleja brings to the table a history of managing enterprise-wide risks and a passion for enabling organi- sations to reach their full po- tential within their respective markets. He holds a Master in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Busi- ness and Computing, both from University of Malta, as well as an International Diplo- ma in Enterprise Risk Manage- ment from London's Institute of Risk Management, of which he is also a certified Member. Mr Calleja has garnered exper- tise in enterprise risk manage- ment, corporate governance and business continuity man- agement through roles in both the public and private sectors, including Enterprise Risk Man- ager within a global cross-bor- der payment provider. He also serves in the Risk Advisory Ser- vices department at BDO since April 2020. Ivan Spiteri boasts more than 30 years of experience as he takes up the role of Director of Technology Advisory and As- surance, following almost five years as Head of Technology Advisory at BDO. His résumé prior to joining BDO includes more than 11 years with one of the 'Big Four' financial services firms, where he gained experi- ence in delivering and leading advisory services in privacy, IT regulatory, IT governance and IT security, while assisting clients with data warehousing, systems integration and imple- mentation. A further 14 years spent as part of a company listed on the Malta Stock Ex- change also saw him rise to the position of Head of IT Quality Assurance. Forming part of the glob- al BDO network, BDO Malta provides end-to-end corporate and business advisory services, assisting companies in driving their business towards further growth. With over 45 years of practice in Malta, BDO Malta continues the brand's steady growth and upward trajectory of success, shaped around its vision to provide an exception- al service to clients across all their financial and regulatory needs. More information about BDO Malta is available at www.bdo. com.mt.