Vets on The Balkans express their gratitude to Dr Murat Saroglu for the opportunity and being part of our team! Thank you Pamas Trading for supporting the program for Romania.
Dr Dana Stoian has done her externship together with Dr Murat Saroglu in Istanbul, Turkey.
Let her tell us about this amazing experience!
After living in the last 2years only 2seasons (summer and super summer), thanks to Luba Gancheva and Vet On Balkans I had the perfect motive to enjoy a few days of normal climate and learn a little more about ophtalmology. And what a great place for all of this as well, Istanbul, Turkey!
I started my day walking thrilled towards the clinic and enjoyed every leaf fallen on the sideway, every cat that stopped me for a pet on the head and when I eventually arrived at the clinic, boom! Huge waiting line up untill the frontyard’s door. 
I did my externship at Prof. Dr. Murat Șaroglu’s Eye Center, a small but well equiped practice on the Asian part of Istanbul. The first thing that surprised me was the waiting line. Wow, lots of cases! The clinic was opened 3 or 4 days a week, but those are some days!
I had soon to discover that the patients influx would maintain at least the same if not even it got more crowded during the examination day.
At the end of day1 I have counted 90cases, out of wich 5 were surgeries. Starting the next day I didn’t even had time to count anymore! 
The clinic had 1 floor, with a spacious reception that would lead straight into the examination room at the ground floor and at the 1st floor an office and the surgery room.
The surgery room was equiped with a hemogram and biochemistry analizer, 2 different phacoemulsification devices, laser device, an ophtalmic surgical microscope and an inhalant anesthesia machine, altough all of the surgical cases received general anesthesia and not gas.
An eye examination usually consisted of a direct inspection, exam with the opthalmoscope, slit light, fluoresceine or Schirmer test were would be the case, almost always eye ultrasonography and fundoscopy.
80% of the patients I had the chance to see during my visit there were cats.
Turkey loves all animals but they surely have a thing for cats. Never anywhere had I seen cats as sociable and respected like in Istanbul.Actually, never had I seen stray animals so well taken care of and loved as in Istanbul. And big, chubby dogs sleeping in coffee shops, cats sleeping behind the doors in clothing stores or on a seat on the terrace of a restaurant.
On another note, back to my learning experience, I am happy I had the chance to observe and learn about surgical procedures from the most common, like a simple tarsoraphy to delicate procedures such as:
-cataract phacoemulsification surgery,
– pupilary reconstruction,
– surgical lens removal or intrascleral prosthesis placement,
– Sinblefaron reconstruction,
-keratectomies,
– eyelid surgeries,
-post-traumatic enucleations.
One very important note I took back home with me is that ultrasound should always be part of my examination.
The profesor and his team were nice to explain to me all of the history of each patient who came for a follow up consultation, altough time was short and appointments were waiting (80-100 cases per day). I learned here that with perseverance and patience even a disaster can be fixed. I saw kittens with minor corneal scars or no scarr at all instead of the mess they used to have for an eye 8weeks prior to the follow up.
I think it’s very important to relate to your patient and his caregiver with patience and in the same time use all of your weapons, have them come back for follow up as much as they need to, make sure your patient is confortable and DO THE ULTRASOUND.
I am definitely grateful for this experience, it’s quite important to travel and learn from your colleagues abroad, to learn how to work under different circumstances with different resources that you may or may not have acces to, with pathologies you may or may not see again.
Indeed such a great ideea Vet on the Balkans!
The city was also amazing, I strongly recommend to anyone to walk it’s streets up and downhills, enjoy a turkish breakfast on the Bosphorus Shore or try the old ottoman cuisine and terribly sweet and tasty baclava.
Many thanks to Luba Gancheva, prof. Dr. Murat Șaroglu and his lovely team at Veterinary Eye Center. I hope to see you all again! 
