Habiba Al-Belushi

Publications (3)1.56 Total impact

• Article: Traditional medicine in oman: its role in ophthalmology.

  Radha Shenoy, Alexander Bialasiewicz, Rajiv Khandekar, Badar Al Barwani, Habiba Al Belushi
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: To present three patients with ocular disease who developed a range of complications following use of traditional medications. Case series Three patients who were examined in the Ophthalmic department of a tertiary care teaching hospital in the Sultanate of Oman between 2003 and 2004, seeking care following use of traditional medicines and or healing practices for various ophthalmic problems described below. The first patient was a computer professional with a chalazion; the patient used a plant extract from 'Calotropis procera' as a part of the treatment. He developed corneal edema with decrease in vision in his left eye following application of the plant extract. Treatment with topical steroids and antibiotics resulted in a complete clinical and visual recovery. The second patient developed a fungal corneal ulcer (dermatophyte - Trichophyton mentagrophyte) after sustaining injury with an animal tail to the right eye and used honey for pain relief prior to presentation. She responded poorly to anti-fungal treatment, underwent a penetrating keratoplasty with recurrence of infection in the graft that resulted in a vascularized corneal scar. The third patient was a five-year-old child who was treated with 'wasam' on the occiput for intraocular inflammation following bilateral uncomplicated cataract extraction. Following this treatment the topical steroid was discontinued. The 'Wasam' treatment indirectly resulted in exacerbation of the intraocular inflammation and secondary glaucoma and poor vision as well as 'Wasam ulcers' on the occiput. Despite treatment of the intraocular inflammation, the visual outcome was poor. Traditional medicine in Oman is sought by many for variable reasons. Lack of evidence-based scientific data on its safety or efficacy does not deter the Omanis from flocking the traditional healers. However, when applied in the treatment of ocular diseases, traditional medicine and healing practices seem to cause more harm than benefit for the patient.
  Middle East African journal of ophthalmology 04/2009; 16(2):92-6.
• Article: In vivo morphometry of corneal endothelial cells in pseudoexfoliation keratopathy with glaucoma and cataract.

  Upender K Wali, Alexander A Bialasiewicz, Syed G Rizvi, Habiba Al-Belushi
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: This study was designed to define correlations between in vivo morphometric and demographic data of pseudoexfoliation (PEX) keratopathy patients from Omani Arab origin with cataract and glaucoma. In a non-randomized controlled comparative case series, 69 adult patients (43 males and 26 females) with 78 cataract and 48 glaucoma eyes with corneal PEX material were assessed by confocal biomicroscopy (Confoscan 2, Nidek) and values compared to normative US and Omani Arab population values. Descriptive statistics. The mean age of glaucoma patients was 60.81 +/- 8.33 years, of cataract patients 64.65 +/- 6.67 years; 109/126 eyes (74%) were from patients >60 years old (14 glaucoma and 95 cataract eyes). Age-adjusted endothelial cell counts were similar to normative values in 108/126 eyes (85.7%). Polymegathism and pleomorphism were abnormal in 124/126 (98.4%) and 122/126 eyes (96.8%), respectively. The correlation of pleomorphism and polymegathism with males (R(2) = 0.6378, p = 0.05) was stronger than with females (R(2) = 0.6024, p = 0.06), and stronger for patients <60 years (R(2) = 0.7268, p = 0.01) than >60 years old (R(2) = 0.5805, p = 0.01). Cataracts: Endothelial cell counts were normal (mean 2,483 +/- 511.2). Pleomorphism was 33.12 +/- 11.44% and different from Omani Arab controls (p < 0.01), polymegathism 58.14 +/- 16.58% (p <0.01). Glaucomas: Endothelial cell counts were normal (mean: 2,438 +/- 503). Pleomorphism and polymegathism were 37.09 +/- 12.43% (p < 0.01) and 59.69 +/- 16.79% (p < 0.01), respectively. Pleomorphism and polymegathism were more associated with glaucomas (R(2) = 0.7652, p = 0.02) than with cataracts (R(2) = 0.6041, p = 0.06). Endothelial cell polymegathism and pleomorphism in PEX keratopathy with glaucoma is more frequently associated with age <60 years and male gender than with cataract.
  Ophthalmic Research 04/2009; 41(3):175-9. · 1.56 Impact Factor
• Article: Visually evoked potentials after panretinal photocoagulation in omani patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.

  Radha Shenoy, Habiba Al-Belushi, Sadiqa Al-Ajmi, Susan Margaret Al-Nabhani, Shyam Sunder Ganguly, Alexander A Bialasiewicz
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: To report on the changes of latency and amplitudes of the pattern VEP in patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus II and I before and after panretinal laser treatment. Single center hospital based comparative study. One hundred eyes of patients with proliferative diabetic vitreoretinopathy, and HbA1C ≥ 10 percent were subjected to Pattern Visually Evoked Potentials (Medtronic keyopint system, Nicolet) prior to and 4 weeks after PRP. Results were compared to age-matched non-diabetic controls. Chi-Square test, and paired 't' test were used for statistical analysis. Preoperative mean VEP amplitude was 8.35mV±3.71, and not significantly different to the control group (mean 10.51mV±3.34) (chi square test p=1). Mean preoperative P100 latency was 106.93±7.90ms and significantly different to the control group (103.21±7.65ms) (paired t-test p=0.001). After laser treatment, VEP amplitudes decreased in 48/100 eyes (mean total 5.11mV±2.4), and P100 latency increased in 75/100 eyes (mean total 110.47±7.35ms). In this study, PRP was followed by a significant decrease in VEP amplitudes in 48 percent and increase in latency in 75 percent of eyes.
  Middle East African journal of ophthalmology 04/2008; 15(2):51-6.