Top 4 Retina Specialists in Aqaba 2026

When do you need a retina specialist?

The retina is the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. The vitreous is the clear gel that fills the eye in front of it. Retina specialists are ophthalmologists who focus on these structures. They assess and treat conditions such as:

• diabetic retinopathy and swelling of the macula (the central retina) linked to diabetes
• age-related macular degeneration
• retinal tears and retinal detachment
• blocked retinal veins or arteries
• uveitis and other inflammation inside the eye
• retinal problems after an eye injury or after complicated cataract surgery

Often an optometrist or general ophthalmologist refers you after noticing something during a routine check. You can also book a retinal assessment yourself.

Signs worth booking a visit

• Straight lines that look wavy or bent, or a blurred or dark patch in the centre of your vision
• Gradual blurring that new glasses do not correct
• Growing difficulty reading or recognising faces
• Diabetes, even without symptoms. Mainstream guidance recommends regular diabetic eye screening, commonly once a year or as your doctor advises, because early retinopathy often causes no symptoms
• High blood pressure, high short-sightedness, a family history of retinal disease or a past eye injury. Ask whether you need a retinal check
• Repeated episodes of a red, aching or light-sensitive eye, especially if you have had uveitis before

Warning signs that need urgent care

Seek care the same day if you notice any of the following:

• a sudden shower of new floaters or flashes of light
• a shadow or curtain spreading across part of your vision
• sudden loss or dimming of vision in one eye, even if it comes back
• a painful red eye with reduced vision
• any eye injury, including a chemical splash. Rinse the eye with plenty of clean water while you get help

These symptoms can signal a retinal detachment or a blocked blood vessel, where fast treatment matters. In an emergency in Jordan, call 911.

How to choose among the doctors here

All four doctors on this page work at the same place, Surgical Eye Center in Downtown Aqaba, and share the same confirmed hours. Your choice is therefore less about location and more about matching your problem to each doctor's published focus. If you searched for the best retina specialists in Aqaba, keep in mind that the order reflects how complete each profile is, not a judgement of skill or results.

Practical ways to compare:

• Your main concern. Dr. Omar Ahmad Saleh's biography highlights retinal disease and uveitis, which is relevant if eye inflammation is part of your problem. Dr. Abdullah Zureik and Dr. Hussein Allawi both list vitreoretinal and cataract surgery. Dr. Muhammad Zureik's listed areas combine retinal disease follow-up with corneal care and laser vision correction. Dr. Hussein Allawi also lists oculoplastic (eyelid) surgery.
• More than one problem. If you have both a cataract and a retinal condition, or need your cornea and retina reviewed, a doctor whose profile covers both may save you separate appointments. Ask reception.
• Continuity of care. Conditions such as diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration often need repeated scans and follow-up over months or years. Ask who will see you at follow-up visits and how your scans and results are kept.
• Referral letters. If another doctor referred you, bring the letter. Reception can use it to direct you to a suitable doctor.
• Second opinions. Before any planned procedure, it is reasonable to ask for a second opinion and to take time with your decision.

What to expect at the first visit

A retinal assessment usually takes longer than a routine eye test. It typically includes:

• checks of your vision and eye pressure
• drops that widen (dilate) your pupils so the doctor can see the retina. Dilation blurs vision and makes you sensitive to light for several hours
• imaging, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans or retinal photographs, where needed. Some patients need a dye test, which the doctor will explain beforehand

How to prepare

• Do not plan to drive yourself home after dilation. Arrange a driver or taxi, especially if you are coming from outside Aqaba city.
• Bring sunglasses for the trip home.
• Bring your current glasses and contact lenses, and ask in advance whether to stop wearing lenses before the visit.
• Bring a written list of your medicines, including blood thinners and diabetes medicines, and any recent blood sugar or HbA1c results.
• Bring previous eye reports, scans and referral letters.
• Note when your symptoms started and which eye is affected.

Questions to ask the doctor

• What is the diagnosis, and does it affect one eye or both?
• Is treatment needed now, or is monitoring enough for the moment?
• What are the options, and what are the benefits and risks of each?
• How often will I need follow-up visits and scans?
• Which symptoms should make me come back sooner, or seek urgent care?

Insurance, fees and booking: what to ask before the appointment

None of the four profiles publishes a consultation fee, so check costs directly with the centre. Before you go, ask:

• whether your insurer or employer scheme is accepted, and whether you need a referral or pre-approval
• the consultation fee, and whether scans such as OCT or photographs are charged separately
• how injections, laser treatment or surgery are billed and covered, if your doctor recommends them
• which doctor you will see, and how long the visit takes once dilation and imaging are included
• what documents to bring, such as your insurance card and ID

All four doctors are booked through the centre's reception, and their profiles advise confirming your attendance before you set off. The confirmed hours are Saturday to Wednesday 09:00–19:00 and Thursday 09:00–17:00. Friday is not among the published hours. Because Thursday closes earlier, choose an earlier slot that day so a dilated examination is not rushed.

Getting there

Surgical Eye Center is in Downtown Aqaba, within Aqaba city. Residents of Aqaba city can usually reach the downtown area easily. Patients travelling from Al-Quwaira, Wadi Rum, Al-Disah or Wadi Araba face a longer journey. A morning appointment leaves time for dilation and imaging and for a safe trip home with someone else driving. Check the exact location with reception or on the map in each profile before you travel.

The centre's clinic hours do not cover every urgent problem. If you have sudden vision loss, a curtain over your vision or an eye injury, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Hospitals in the governorate include Prince Hashim bin Abdullah II Military Hospital, Aqaba Modern Hospital, the Islamic Hospital and Aqaba University Hospital.

Checklist before you book

• Match your main concern (retina, inflammation, cataract, cornea or eyelid) to the doctor's listed focus.
• Confirm the appointment day and time against the centre's hours. Friday is not among them, and Thursday closes at 17:00.
• Ask about the consultation fee and any separate charges for scans.
• Check whether your insurer is accepted and whether pre-approval is needed.
• Arrange a driver, because dilation affects your vision for hours.
• Pack sunglasses, your glasses or lenses, a medicine list and previous eye reports.
• Write down your symptoms, when they began and which eye is affected.
• Know the urgent warning signs, and call 911 if they appear.