The story of saving one’s sight is one that shall always warm hearts. A successful cataract surgery does exactly that! In July, our team conducted community screening activities in Bondo sub-county. A total of 341 people (182 females and 159 males) were screened and received treatment for different eye conditions. These activities were held at five different health facilities in Centra Sakwa ward; Gombe dispensary, Rapogi dispensary, Ouya dispensary and Uyawi health centre. On 18th July, the patients who were diagnosed with cataract were booked for a free cataract surgery at Nyang’oma Mission Hospital. A total of 28 patients (15 females and 12 males) were successfully operated for cataract.
Solomon Omondi, a teenage boy in his primary school, was among the people who were screened and diagnosed with cataract. At this tender age, anyone can tell the significance of this young man’s sight given the threat posed by cataract. Through the cataract project funded by Australian aid through the Fred Hollows foundation Kenya, the young man was helped to get free cataract surgery.
“I suspect my condition was brought as a result of some strike by lightening, it has caused me a great challenge especially to my studies and now that I am a candidate, I am a worried man since my education fully relies on my sight and am afraid of losing them.”
Solomon told our field officer “We are living in a remote area and getting the correct information regarding such conditions is not easy and since we lack resources to pursue treatment, we are forced to wait until such times when our prayers are answered and we have good ambassadors like you”
Solomon OMONDI
Solomon had attended a screening activity at Ouya dispensary where he was screened and diagnosed with cataract in his right eye. Our team booked him for surgery and he was successfully operated during the surgical outreach at Nyang’oma mission hospital.
On the D-day, Solomon was accompanied by his mother and both were optimistic that they were destined for a life changing moment. True to their hopes! the following day after the surgery, when the doctors removed the eye patch from Solomon’s eye, his sight had been restored and he was extremely happy.
“Am grateful that I can now see again, my sight is very clear just as I was before the cataract. I want to thank your organization and all those who are behind this project, I am happy and I say thank you very much for coming to my rescue” Solomon said to the team.
sOLOMON oMONDI
About cataract;
A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye and are very common as one gets older. A cataract begins when proteins in the eye form clumps that prevent the lens from sending clear images to the retina.
cataracts develop slowly and eventually interferes with one’s vision.
Common symptoms of cataracts include:
- blurry vision
- trouble seeing at night
- seeing colors as faded
- increased sensitivity to glare
- halos surrounding lights
- double vision in the affected eye
- a need for frequent changes in prescription glasses
What Causes Cataracts?
There are several underlying causes of cataracts. These include:
- an overproduction of oxidants, which are oxygen molecules that have been chemically altered due to normal daily life
- smoking
- ultraviolet radiation
- the long-term use of steroids and other medications
- certain diseases, such as diabetes
- trauma
- radiation therapy
Diagnosing Cataracts
Your doctor will perform a comprehensive eye exam to check for cataracts and to assess your vision. This will include an eye chart test to check your vision at different distances and tonometry to measure your eye pressure. Other tests your doctor might perform include checking your sensitivity to glare and your perception of colors.
Treatment of Cataracts
Surgery is recommended when cataracts prevent you from going about your daily activities, such as reading or driving. It’s also performed when cataracts interfere with the treatment of other eye problems.
Surgery to remove a cataract is generally very safe and has a high success rate. Some of the risks of cataract surgery include infection, bleeding, retinal detachment, though incidences of all those complications are less than 1%. Most people can go home the same day as their surgery.
Outlook of a Cataract
Cataracts can interfere with daily activities and lead to blindness when left untreated. Although some stop growing, they don’t get smaller on their own. The surgical removal of cataracts is a very common procedure and is highly effective roughly 90 percentTrusted Source of the time, according to the National Eye Institute.
Prevention of Cataracts
To reduce your risk of developing cataracts:
- protect your eyes from UVB rays by wearing sunglasses outside
- have regular eye exams
- stop smoking
- eat fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidants
- maintain a healthy weight
- keep diabetes and other medical conditions in check
