The gift of sight at 102
Thanks to cataract surgery 102-year-old Nomahlanu Hadebe is able to see her great-grandchildren.
|||Durban - All 102-year-old Nomahlanu Hadebe wanted was to see her great-grandchildren and, thanks to cataract surgery, she now can.
Hadebe is one of 12 elderly people from disadvantaged communities in KwaZulu-Natal’s iLembe District, whose eyesight was restored thanks to the “big heart” of opthamologist, Dr Malcolm Carey, and a hospital that “cares about the community it serves”.
All 12 patients had cataracts, a progressive clouding of the lens inside the eye, causing sight to become fuzzy, making everyday activities increasingly difficult.
Carey performed Hadebe’s surgery free of charge at Netcare Alberlito Hospital last week.
Hadebe’s granddaughter, Busisiwe Mabaso, said the centenarian had expressed her wish to be able to see her family and the world around her once more.
“Now her dream has come true and she is overjoyed to be seeing again.”
Carey said he was gratified to have been able to help Hadebe and others.
“Cataract procedures are one of the most rewarding aspects of my work as an ophthalmologist. It is amazing that within (a) space of just 24 hours a person’s sight can be restored along with their ability to engage in simple pleasures such as reading, writing, making coffee and cooking. More than this, the patient’s independence is given back to them, which is extraordinarily powerful.”
Five years ago, Carey teamed up with the Netcare Alberlito Hospital which covered the costs of the operations, including theatre time and medication.
Anaesthetists Beck, Danchin and Partners provided their time and expertise free of charge while Alcon, a global medical company specialising in eye care products, provided all the lenses. Genop Healthcare donated consumables for the procedures.
Carey performs these sight-restoring operations to disadvantaged cataract sufferers during Eye Care Awareness Month, which runs from September 21 to October 18.
He said despite an intensive campaign by the government to reduce cataract blindness thousands still suffered from the condition because many people did not realise it was treatable and waiting lists for the procedure were long.
“This is unfortunate as cataract blindness is completely reversible in the overwhelming majority of cases. Cataracts can be successfully removed, a special new artificial lens surgically implanted and the patient’s vision completely restored,” Carey said.
General manager of the hospital, Sara Nayager, said the project was one of their outreach initiatives for people in communities who would otherwise not be able to afford such surgery.
It was aimed at helping disadvantaged communities as well as to raise awareness.
“It is not commonly known that as much as 70% of blindness is avoidable with timely medical intervention. For this reason it is critical that everyone whose eyesight is failing consults a healthcare practitioner,” Nayager said.
“After their surgery, a number of them expressed their pleasure at being able to see their grandchildren for the first time ever,” Nayager said.
Carey agreed, saying regular eye testing was critical.
“While eye conditions can affect people of any age, the elderly are at particularly high risk of developing a problem. About 80% of blind people are over the age of 50 and the chances of developing cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and other diseases increases with advancing age.”
Hadebe cried when she saw her great-grandchildren for the first time. “She recognised them by the sound of their voices and used to touch their faces, now she can do all that and see them,” Mabaso said.
Daily News
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