Doctors help eradicate cataract
Edwin Tshivhidzo
14 October 2004
Indigent people suffering from eye problems such as cataract can have their eyes checked and operated on free of charge at the Pretoria East Hospital this Friday as part of a campaign launched by Fight-4-Sight.
A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye which blocks out or scatters the light in the back of the eye.
As the cataract develops, it becomes harder for a person to see, although it is not considered a disability but a normal part of ageing.
The campaign against cataract will involve 10 of South Africa's top ophthalmologists, who will participate in a 24-hour cataract surgical marathon at the end of which hundreds of people will have regained their sight.
The operation to remove a cataract takes 15 to 30 minutes and patients usually regain their sight after two hours.
The 10 ophthalmologists will perform the surgical procedures in six-hourly shifts over a 24-hour period, and expect to operate on at least
200 people.
Fight-4-Sight is a joint initiative of the Primary Eyecare Clinic (PEC), Ophthalmicare and private health care provider Netcare.
Pretoria East Hospital manager Ben Bester said that prior to the operation, people would be screened for cataracts and assessed for surgical suitability.
"We look forward to extending the campaign to all Netcare hospitals to enable people to reach us with ease", Bester said.
Netcare Hospital Division CEO Hector Mackay said the initiative was an example of how the private sector, public sector and civil society could work together to make a "real difference" to society.
He said the project would be extended to other parts of the country through other Netcare hospitals in 2005.
Johan van den Berg, one of the participating ophthalmologists, said that more than half of South Africans older than 65 developed cataracts.
The campaigners have set up a fundraising account for their project. Donations can be
deposited into the Nedbank Videre Trust bank account number 145 405 469, branch code 14 54 05. All deposits should be referenced as Fight-4-Sight-Project.
Source: BuaNews
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