Lamu men go blind due to untreated diabetes and hypertension

Many diabetes patients in Lamu, especially older men, are going blind.

A recent health report reveals that a huge percentage of the local population aged 40 and above suffers from diabetes and hypertension.

Most of these, the majority being men, have acute eye ailments rendering them blind.

Records from the department of ophthalmology at King Fahad hospital in Lamu Island show many ailing men between the ages of 50 and 80 years are treated for eye ailments at the facility every day.

The majority of these ailments are eye cataracts.

Chief Ophalmologist Roba Duba said the increased number of eye ailments plaguing older men and rendering many of them blind is a cause for concern.

His department, he says, lacks adequate facilities and infrastructure to effectively stop the shocking trend.

He says on most occasions they are forced to refer their patients to hospitals outside Lamu, for those with the financial capability to undergo operations to remove the cataracts.

“For those who can’t, all we can do is recommend that they wait for the free medical camps that are normally held in the county from time to time,” he says.

Duba says many such patients have turned blind after they were unable to access medical care on time.

“Some are unable to consistently attend eye clinics since we don’t offer such services in Lamu. As a result, they have become blind over time,” he says.

Lions Eye Hospital ophthalmologist Evans Cherono revealed that diabetes is the biggest cause of eye ailments especially cataracts among older patients in Lamu.

He mentioned environmental and climatic factors as also contributing to eye diseases in the region.

The medic advised that the best way to stay clear of such illnesses is to undergo frequent eye checkups in order to catch any infections at an early stage when one can be easily treated and avoid possible blindness.

He however reminded that many parts of the body wear out with age and so do eyes, hence some cases of blindness.

“Most cases of cataracts are caused by an underlying diabetic condition. Old age means your cornea equally ages with time but through frequent checks, this can be addressed effectively. This goes especially for those who have attained age 40 plus,” Cherono said.

He pointed out poor diets and failure to exercise as another cause of blindness men in the region.

“People are not really eating nutrient-rich foods that promote vision like fruits and green vegetables. There is also a very low record of people exercising yet that keeps such issues away, ” he said.

Lamu county executive for Health Anne Gathoni cited diabetes and hypertension as the major causes of blindness among eye patients in the region.

She called on locals to embrace proper diets and frequent exercise in order to keep their vision and avoid premature blindness.

Gathoni said the recent health report revealed that 2,509 people are suffering from hHypertension while 1,067 have diabetes in Lamu.

She said many people don't exercise, something that easily puts them at risk of diabetes, hypertension and blindness among other health issues.

“People need to stay away from too much salt and sugar in their food because these are among the leading risk factors of diabetes and hypertension here. Let people take a few minutes each day to exercise and detox,” Gathoni said.

Hassan Geni, 63, underwent a successful cataract surgery last year and says his vision has never been clearer.

Geni says after suffering blindness caused by the cataracts for almost three years, he watches his diet and has made it a point to exercise twice a day.

“I don’t just eat anything. I have had to cut down on sugar, salt and oil. I eat more fruits and vegetables than any other food. Plus,I take a walk every morning and evening for about an hour and half and I am better,” Geni said.

He pleaded with the county and national governments to treat eye ailments especially cataracts as a pandemic as they are the leading cause of blindness in Kenya.

Geni says many people with a condition like his are stuck in their homes as eye surgery is too costly for them.

“I was lucky because in my case, a local media house with another organization had organiszed free surgeries and that is how I got help. There aren’t many such though, yet the number of people in need is high. This is a pandemic and should be addressed as such, ” he said.

Mohamed Mahmud,56, is among the unlucky who live with blindness caused by cataracts.

He turned blind in 2019 and says he cannot afford the costly surgery. He hopes for a miracle that will restore his sight.

“They say I need at least Sh400, 000 to undergo surgery to restore my sight. That's more than my family and all my relatives combined can afford. My hope is that there will be someone who will be touched to help me. In the meantime, I am trying to make peace with my condition,” he said.

Edited by Henry Makori