gms | German Medical Science

The Baltic countries have been independent countries since the 1918. After the second world war, the Baltic countries were occupied by the Soviet army for many years.

During the Soviet time all the modern technologies in ophthalmology concentrated in Moscow and patients, who needed, for example, vitreoretinal surgery traveled to Moscow.

After regaining the independence many new technologies were implemented in the Baltic countries.

German ophthalmologists have helped to start new surgery in the Baltic countries - Prof. Johann Roider - vitreoretinal surgery in Latvia, Prof. Rudolph Gutthoff - oculoplastic and tumor surgery in Estonia, Prof. Jochen Kamman - phacoemulsification in Latvia.

The number of cataract surgeries per 1 million inhabitants - in Estonia - in year 1998 was 2530, in year 2007 - 5000, in year 2017 - 12 000, in Latvia - in year 1998 was 1860 , in year 2007 - 4100, in year 2017 - 7067, in Lithuania - in year 1998 - 1550, in year 2007 - 3500, in year 2017 - 8000.

The number of vitreoretinal surgeries - in Estonia - in year 1998 - 248, in year 2007 - 700, in year 2017 - 900, in Latvia - in year 1998- 56, in year 2007 - 336, in year 2017 - 1152, in Lithuania - in year 1998 - 37, in year 2007 - 400 , in year 2017 - 1700.

The number of ophthalmologists (2019) in Estonia - 155, in Latvia - 251, in Lithuania - 400. The number of ophthalmologists per 1 million inhabitants - in Estonia 117, in Latvia - 130, in Lithuania - 140.

The postgraduate education - in Latvia - 4 years residency, in Estonia - 3 years residency, in Lithuania - 3 years residency.

There is exam of certification after residency, recertification every 5th year.