King Mohammed of Morocco has eye surgery

King Mohammed of Morocco has eye surgery

His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco underwent eye surgery in Paris, France, on Wednesday at the Quinze-Vingt Ophthalmology Hospital. Professor Jean Philippe Nordmann performed the surgery on his left eye.

The 54-year-old King was operated due to suffering from pterygium, or Surfer’s Eye. The condition is not serious but does require a 30-minute surgery for some patients.

A statement signed by both Nordmann and His Majesty’s personal physician, Professor Abdelaziz Maaouni, said that the King developed the condition over his left eye, which extended over his cornea.

Surfer’s Eye is marked by “a growth of pink, fleshy tissue on the conjunctiva, the clear tissue that lines the eyelids and covers the eyeballs, can affect anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors, particularly surfers,” according to Moroccan World News.

The operation went well, and the King is in good spirits. Nordmann explained that King Mohammed would be required to wear an eye patch over the operated eye for protection for a time and would need a 15-day recovery to ensure that the cornea heals properly.

It is not known if he will recover in France, where he owns a home or back home in Morocco. It is also not known if his wife, Princess Lalla Salma, was with him in France when the operation took place.

His Majesty’s last reported engagement was Monday when he spoke to the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, by phone to discuss strengthening relations between Morocco and Nigeria. He recently pardoned 665 prisoners in celebration of the Muslim holiday, Eid Al Adha.

Mohammed has been the King of Morocco since the death of his father, King Hassan II, on 23 July 1999. He is married to Princess Lalla Salma, and together, they have two children: Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Moulay Hassan (b. 8 May 2003) and Princess Lalla Khadija (b. 28 February 2007).