Nearly 150,000 have had free eye treatment – Lion Hospital

For almost three years, Teresia Wanjiku, a middle-aged woman from Central Kenya, could not read her favourite newspaper after losing her sight to cataracts.

“I got scared when this happened to me. At first, I thought I had been bewitched. Everything I set my eyes on was blurry,” Wanjiku said.

She said she had almost lost hope about regaining her sight again when her neighbour tipped her that cataracts could be reversed in the hospital.

“After checking out the country’s best eye hospitals, I realised that the cost of eye surgery was beyond my reach. Sh80,000 for one eye was too expensive.” 

Her sentiments of hopelessness were echoed by Pauline Nasieku.

Nasieku lost her sight at about 48 years of age and had no idea if she would see again. 

"I lost hope after I was told that there is a hospital in Nairobi that charges Sh80,000 to restore my sight. That is the price of two to three cows and negotiating with my husband to sell his cows would be an uphill task,” Nasieku said.

She suffered silently until word came around that Lions Firstsight Eye Hospital in Nairobi’s Loresho offers free eye medical camp.

Wanjiku and Nasieku made the camps when they were brought in their village and were diagnosed to have cataracts.

The two women were operated on at Lions Firstsight Eye Hospital and transported back to their homes.

The hospital’s General Manager Rizwana Peerbhoy told the Star on Saturday that the journey of the 100 cataract surgeries began 25 years ago.

“It started when the Lions International Foundation supported the Lions Club of Kenya to build a hospital in Nairobi,” Peerbhoy said.

He said at the time, it was established that 80 per cent of people who lost their sight had reversible conditions.

“Today, we have given back the eyesight to more than 100,000 people in rural parts of the country since this programme started in 1997,” Peerbhoy said.

Cataracts can happen anywhere and are generally related to age.

Peerbhoy said that cataract surgeries are covered by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and other common insurance companies in the country. 

“The surgery is minimally invasive and done under local anaesthesia," the GM said. 

"Under Lions Sightfirst Eye Hospital, nearly 150,000 people have undergone surgery under our outreach programme for the rural poor and vulnerable,” the general manager said.

“In our 25-year journey, we have covered almost 95 per cent of the counties at some point or another. Some with other donor partners,” she told the Star.

“We collect donor funds to support programmes to help the neediest and most vulnerable children. Similarly, children’s treatments are also donor sponsored,” Peerbhoy said.

She said that the government of Kenya is most supportive and appreciative of their partnership in the cause of eliminating needless blindness.

“The outreach programme is at the core of our business strategy and shall always remain.” she said.

Peerbhoy said that Combat Blindness International, Johnson and Johnson, Vision Springs, Kenya Society for the blind, Charity vision, and Jain social group are some of our annual committed partners.

Most cataracts are related to age. They occur because of normal changes in the eyes as someone gets older. 

“But you can get cataracts for other reasons like after an eye injury or after surgery for another eye problem like glaucoma,” she said.

“No matter what type of cataract you have, you’ll need surgery to treat it," the general manager said.

By the age of 80, some people either have cataracts or have had cataract surgery.

Cataract surgery is one of the most common operations all around the world.

Symptoms

You may not develop any symptoms at first when cataracts are mild. But as they grow, cataracts can cause changes in your vision. 

For example, you may notice that:

⦁ Your vision is cloudy or blurry

⦁ Colours look faded

⦁ You can’t see well at night

⦁ Lamps, sunlight, or headlights seem too bright

⦁ You see a halo (circle of light) around the lights

⦁ You see double (this sometimes goes away as the cataract gets bigger)

⦁ You have to change the prescription for your glasses or contact lenses often

Talk with your eye doctor if you have any of these symptoms — they could also be signs of other eye problems.

Who is at risk of developing cataracts?

Your risk for cataracts goes up as you get older. You’re also at higher risk if you:

⦁ Have certain health problems, like diabetes

⦁ Smoke

⦁ Drink too much alcohol

⦁ Have a family history of cataracts

⦁ Have had an eye injury, eye surgery, or radiation treatment on your upper body

⦁ Have spent a lot of time in the sun

⦁ Take steroids — medicines used to treat some health problems, like arthritis or allergies

If you’re worried you might be at risk of cataracts, speak to a doctor.

Ask if there’s anything you can do to lower your risk.