Gerhard Kamffer

In a resource-poor country, I have been drawn to the beacon of light which VR surgery can provide in a situation which is often perceived as hopeless by the patient. It is my wish to join this fight against retinal disease. I am a hard-working, committed team player with a desire to enhance my approach to retinal pathology and to contribute towards research. It would be a privilege to gain knowledge from this esteemed institution which I can in turn apply in my own community.

• Why are you applying for this Fellowship?

What draws me to VR surgery is the hope it brings in which is often perceived as a situation of despair. Even though the outcomes are not always 100%, the patients are usually extremely grateful knowing they “have not gone blind”. I am also excited to live in an era where research is directed at so-called untreatable conditions (RP, geographic atrophy) and the idea of one day having treatment options for such conditions is enticing. With the advances in modern-day equipment I believe the beauty of VR surgery is much more appreciable than in the past.

• What do you hope to gain from this Fellowship?

I hope to gain a solid, broad foundation from which to build on in a pursuit of a career in VR surgery. I realize this is a path of constant learning, but my hope is by attending this Fellowship that the learning curve will be as efficient and safe as possible.

I hope to be able to contribute in an area of research which could make a difference in real world practice.

Mostly, I hope to form a relationship with colleagues and mentors from such an esteemed institution. I have learnt the best way to tackle complicated cases is with a team-based approach and to have contact with a team of experts who can give opinions in future would be invaluable

• What impact will this Fellowship have when you return to your country?

A clear rise in diabetic retinal disease is evident across most centres in South Africa as witnessed by the growing waiting lists for surgery. This problem is further compounded by the limitation of resources, scarcity of VR surgical skill and few teaching programs. In the end this delay from presentation to eventual surgery has a detrimental effect on the prognosis of many patients with retinal disease.

My wish is to be able to join the fight against this overwhelming burden of disease and hopefully pass on some of the valuable knowledge learnt from this world-class centre to other colleagues in my country.

Date of Birth: 01/07/1989

Nationality: South African

Passport nr: A06771153

Sex:  Male

Marital Status: Married

Phacoemulsification: 300

MSICS: 500

Vitreoretinal: 16 (supervised steps)

Oculoplastic: 50

PRP: 80

Strabismus: 10

Glaucoma: 5

HPCSA

Registration: MP0786756

• CMSA - College of Medicine of South Africa
• OSSA - Ophthalmological Society of South Africa
• SAMA - South African Medical Association

• Jacaranda Symposium Congress

   - October 2018

   - Keynote: Dr K Chong/Dr M Sagoo

• Jacaranda Symposium Congress

   - November 2019

   - Keynote: Prof L Da Cruz

• OSSA 50th Annual Congress

   - March 2022

   - Keynote: Prof A Lee

• OSSA YO Meeting

   - August 2022

• SASCRS 19th International Congress

   - November 2022

   - Keynote: Prof T Khonen

• CMSA Masterclass

   - February 2023

• OSSA 51st Annual Congress

   - March 2023

   - Keynote: Prof HS Dua/Prof F Kuhn

• OSSA YO Meeting

   - August 2023

• OSSA 52nd Annual Congress

   - February 2024

   - Keynote: Prof G Barrett

• Basic Surgical Skills (August 2014, University of Pretoria)
• Microsurgical Skills Course (June 2016, University of Stellenbosch)
• Alcon Phacoemulsification Wetlab (August 2018, Alcon Laborotories Midrand)
• Introduction to Vitreoretinal Surgery Course (November 2023, University of Cape Town)

Investigating the Prevalence of Dry Eye Disease in Microscope Users with a Focus on Ophthalmologists in South Africa (MMED)

An observational, descriptive cross-sectional study done at the University of the Free State under the supervision of Prof WJ Marais. This study found the prevalence of dry eye disease amongst the study group to be similar to the highest values quoted in literature with a possible association to microscope-use and its environment. This study is currently in preparation for publication in the South African Ophthalmology Journal (SAOJ).

1. Prof WJ Marais

HOD Department of Ophthalmology

University of the Free State

wjmicu@gmail.com

+27 83 452 4081

2. Dr Gratia Fischer

Consultant Ophthalmologist

Mamelodi Regional Hospital

gratiafischer@gmail.com

+27 83 393 9334

3. Dr Christian Engelbrecht

Private Practice Ophthalmologist

Bethmed Centre

drchrisengelbrecht@gmail.com

+27 71 685 3780

I, Gerhard Kamffer, hereby declare that the above information is accurate and correct as of 14/03/2024