TSYKULENKO KONSTANTIN - THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE OF EYE DISEASES OF TURKMENISTAN

This year, the Eye Institute of the capital of Turkmenistan celebrated its 89th anniversary, and its first director, Konstantin Ivanovich Tsykulenko, would have turned 132 years old.

In the thirties of the last century, during the formation of the institute, its staff faced the most important task at that time - the study of methods of combating trachoma and other eye diseases in the republic.

Professor K. Tsykulenko was invited from Odessa to organize and conduct work in this direction. Arriving in Turkmenistan, along with his organizational activities, he continued his research in physical optics, which he had begun in Odessa. Under his leadership, active work was carried out with trachoma, acute epidemic conjunctivitis. The Institute took an active part in creating a network of ophthalmological institutions in the country.

Thanks to the museum of the institute functioning today, we learn that at that time many employees of the institute were involved in scientific research: N.M. Pavlov, M.M. Pinyaeva, S.A. Barkhash, E. D. Blavatsky, S.M. Barg, I.V. Rubin, S.M. Shupak, M.S. Merzling, N.A. Vasiliev and many others. Stubborn and fruitful work gradually led to the fact that in 1932, under the editorship of K. Tsykulenko, the first volume of the institute's scientific works appeared. And the arrival of the evacuated leading specialists from the Odessa Institute named after V.P. Filatov made it possible to multiply the effectiveness of research, pedagogical, medical and organizational-methodical work of ophthalmologists. Already in the mid-forties, the second and third volumes of the institute's scientific works were published. Until the 1950s, scientists of the institute were developing a series of scientific studies on topical problems of ophthalmology in the conditions of Turkmenistan.

When the department of eye diseases was opened in the Turkmen medical institute in 1932, its first leader was K.I. Tsykulenko. All his accumulated rich experience as a result of many years of practical work, he tirelessly passes on to his pupils-students. After a while, the first national cadres appeared within the walls of medical institutions - S. Karanov, Sh. Shukurov and many others, who over time successfully defended themselves and received scientific degrees.

The efforts of doctors and medical workers of the institute led to the fact that already in the early 60s, trachoma in the republic, as a mass disease, was completely eliminated. And this is a considerable merit of local and Odessa doctors, including K.I. Tsykulenko.

The foundation laid by the first ophthalmologists of Turkmenistan, over time, made it possible to develop other areas of treatment of eye diseases.

Tsykulenko Konstantin - the first director of the Institute of Eye Diseases of Turkmenistan