EYE CATARACT SURGERIES
Cataract is clouding of the lens of the eye which prevents clear vision. Although most cases of cataract are related to the ageing process, occasionally children can be born with the condition, or a cataract may develop after eye injuries, inflammation, and some other eye diseases. Cataract surgery is a procedure to remove the lens of your eye and, in most cases, replace it with an artificial lens.
According to the latest assessment, cataract is responsible for 51% of world blindness, which represents about 20 million people (2010). Although cataracts can be surgically removed, in many countries barriers exist that prevent patients to access surgery. As people in the world live longer, the number of people with cataract is anticipated to grow. Cataract is also an important cause of low vision in both developed and developing countries.
A total of 150 eye cataract patients were operated on successfully. The beneficiaries were majorly adults, and old people. The camp was the second to be carried out after the initial one held in Turkana central which had 100 patients benefiting at Lodwar Referral hospital.
Lodwar Islamic Centre Partnered with Turkana County Government to carry out the camp. The camp was held successfully courtesy of funding from Global Humanitarian Relief Foundation (GHRF)
And sunglasses post-surgery was kindly supported by:
- Eye CO Ltd
- Syris.
- Omeriye Educational And Medical foundation charitable trust
The objectives of the cataract surgeries
- To identify patients with cataract condition and offer free surgical treatment available for sight restoration in Lokichogio, Turkana.
- To screen people for refractive error problems in Lokichogio, Turkana.
- To educate the community in Lokichogio, Turkana on necessary eye healthcare procedures
The achievements of the cataract camp
- 500 patients managed medically
- 150 successful surgeries done at Lopiding S.C.H.
- 156 surgical cases identified and referred
- 61 presbyopia patients diagnosed and reader glasses distributed accordingly
- Health education to both medical and surgical patients
- 150 successful surgeries done at Lopiding S.C.H.
- Free transport to and from the camp site was well organized
The challenges of the cataract camp
- Not all villages on targeted areas were reached as resources to reach each village and allowance for CHV were so limited
- 25 patients declined surgery in fear of pain and outcome. Some had different plans/ commitments
- Some villages in the targeted areas could not be reached due to terrain
In conclusion, the camp was conducted successfully not only to restore vision but also to enable previously visually impaired persons to restart work and this enhanced to change the quality of lives among the community in Turkana County.