Moorfields DALK wet lab

Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DALK) is the most challenging technique of corneal transplantation. Moorfields Eye Hospital performs a high volume of DALK surgeries and is currently the leading centre in corneal transplantation in Europe.

The Moorfields DALK wet lab, delivered by Moorfields corneal surgeons, will provide hands-on experience of lamellar corneal transplantation using human corneas to fellows and consultants who wish to start performing DALK or to improve their surgical skills in this technique.

Overview

The Moorfields DALK wet lab is aimed at corneal specialists who wish to start performing this technique or to improve their surgical skills. Our purpose is to allow participants to acquire basic skills and familiarise with standardised DALK “big bubble” technique as well as manual dissection technique to improve their confidence and performance on real patients. Each participant will have two human corneas for the wet lab and will have personalised coaching and supervision by Moorfields Consultants who have extensive experience in this technique.

Moorfields Corneal Consultants will also deliver video presentations highlighting essential recommendations for every step of the surgery as well as additional lectures regarding complex cases and treating complications.

Key learning outcomes
  • Learn and practice all the steps standardised "big bubble" technique for DALK
  • Learn and practice the manual dissection of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty
  • Learn and practice the DALK suturing technique
  • Learn the management of most common complications of DALK
  • Learn the key advantages of Femtosecond laser applications in DALK
Who is this course for?

This course is intended for fellows and consultants who wish to start performing DALK or to improve their current surgical skills.

Please note that due to the practical nature of the course, a maximum of 20 places are available.

CPD Certification

CPD points will be applied for and certificate of attendance will be awarded at the end of the course.

Your course tutors

The instructors for the wet lab will be experienced DALK Moorfields corneal consultants:

  • Alfonso Vasquez-Perez (course director).
  • Bruce Allan.
  • Daniel Gore
  • Su-yin Koay
  • Daniel Sibley.
  • Maria Astete.
  • Azizur Rahman
Course Supporters

We are grateful for the support of Thea Pharmaceuticals and Altomed in running this course.


 

 

Next course date

The next DALK wet lab will take place on 27 June 2025. Please join the waiting list to be notified when bookings open.

 
£850.00
 
 
Join Waiting List
 
 
Start Date
Duration One day
 
 

Course fees

 

Taught by

 

Alfonso Vasquez-Perez

Alfonso Vasquez-Perez is a consultant at Moorfields Eye Hospital and is the lead for the Osteo-Odonto-keratoprosthesis (OOKP) Service; a highly specialised treatment for corneal blindness provided only in few centres around the world. His areas of expertise includes corneal surgery, keratoprosthesis (KPro), cataracts and refractive surgery. He took his initial training in Barcelona and later he completed two advanced sub-specialist training fellowships in Cornea and Refractive Surgery in the UK, first in Brighton and then at Moorfields Eye Hospital. He was awarded the Certificate in Laser Refractive Surgery (CertLRS) and he is one of the few UK surgeons who also obtained the Certification in Cataract and Refractive Surgery from The European Board of Ophthalmology (FEBOS-CR). As a consultant surgeon at Moorfields has trained many surgical fellows from the UK and all over the world and frequently present his research work in national and international conferences. His publications include 3 book chapter and over 40 articles in ophthalmic journals.

Bruce Allan

Professor Bruce Allan qualified in medicine from Cambridge in 1985, and was appointed as a Consultant Surgeon at Moorfields in 1998 after advanced specialist training in the UK, South Africa, and Australia. He was Training Director for the Corneal Service at Moorfields for over 10 years, and Service Director for Refractive Surgery from 2012 to 2019. He is currently chairing the Royal College of Ophthalmologists Refractive Surgery Standards Working Group and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) Digital Health Special Interest Group. He is an ESCRS Council and EU Cornea board member. He and his wife, Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Maria Teresa Casasus Borrell, live in North London with regular visits from their 3 daughters, Saskia, Sofia and Silvia. Outside work, He is a keen football fan and sailor. Professional activities include: • NHS practice specialising in cataract and corneal surgery • Private practice specialising in refractive surgery (laser vision correction, ICL implantation, RLE, restoring near vision) • Regular presentations at international research meetings, press, radio and television comment on developments in corneal transplantation, cataract and refractive surgery • Peer review for international medical journals and research grant funding bodies • Specialist advice for NICE and MHRA Current research interests include: • Applications of Deep Learning to anterior segment eye disease • Enhancing treatment accuracy in laser vision correction • Laser assisted corneal transplantation • Early intervention and visual rehabilitation in keratoconus

 
 

Daniel Gore

Daniel Gore is a consultant corneal surgeon, director of refractive surgery and clinical lead for early keratoconus at Moorfields Eye Hospital.

Su-yin Koay

Su-yin is a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital. She specialises in cornea and external disease, refractive surgery and emergency ophthalmology. She also serves as the lead for corneal infections at Moorfields Eye Hospital, and is an Honorary Clinical Lecturer at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology.

 
 

Azizur Rahman

A highly motivated, successful, and autonomous chartered scientist and chartered manager. He is an experienced biomedical scientist, with 25 years of laboratory medical experience inclusive of both public and private sector. Previously, he managed the operations of a private pathology services provider based in the Harley Street sector. Azi has been with Moorfields for five years and is currently the Chief Biomedical Scientist – Tissue Manager. Under his leadership, he has overseen two successful Human Tissue Authority (HTA) compliance upon eye bank related graft surgery, Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products (ATMP) and the acquisition of a modular clean room for ocular tissue processing.

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