Safiye Küçükgül, MD

Safiye Küçükgül, MD is an ophthalmologist at Acibadem Kent Hospital (Izmir) in İzmir, Turkey, where she works in the Ophthalmology unit. She has more than 47 years in medicine and sees adult and paediatric patients with a range of eye conditions, including cataract, glaucoma, astigmatism, retinopathy, macular degeneration and strabismus.

Dr. Küçükgül attended Plantation High School Florida, finishing in 1979, and studied medicine at İstanbul University Faculty of Medicine from 1980 to 1985, with a period of study at Belgrad Faculty of Medicine in 1982. After medical school she worked at a Public Health Dispensary from 1985 to 1989. She completed her specialty training at İzmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital Department of Ophthalmology in 1993 and then held the İzmir Atatürk Training Hospital Chief Assistantship from 1993 to 2004. From 2004 to 2023 she practised at Kent Hospital, and in 2023 she joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services. She is a member of the Türk Oftalmoloji Association, the İzmir Medical Chamber and the American Field Service.

Clinical focus

Dr. Küçükgül’s clinical work covers both common and chronic eye diseases. She evaluates and treats cataract, and her practice includes smart lenses, which may be considered for suitable patients after a detailed eye examination. She manages glaucoma, a condition that usually requires regular monitoring over time, as well as astigmatism, conjunctivitis and retinal conditions, including retinopathy and macular degeneration.

Her practice also extends to strabismus and paediatric eye diseases, and to ocular migraine, in which visual symptoms are assessed together with the patient’s wider medical history. The treatment approach for each condition depends on the findings of the examination and the patient’s individual circumstances, and Dr. Küçükgül discusses the available options with the patient before any decision is made.

How Dr. Küçükgül works with international patients

Dr. Küçükgül consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who speak other languages. Before a visit, the international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, for example imaging reports, laboratory and pathology results, operative notes and discharge summaries, arranges appointments and organises the hospital visit. A first consultation typically covers the patient’s history and symptoms, a review of existing imaging and previous treatments, a clinical examination of the eyes and a discussion of the options. Video consultation is available for international patients who wish to discuss their situation with Dr. Küçükgül before travelling or as part of follow-up after treatment.