Nairobi is rapidly turning into a Mecca for patients seeking advanced eye treatment services.
The number of patients travelling to Kenya for the services is rising, but is still lower compared to Kenyans travelling abroad for other services like kidney transplants.
But experts are optimistic, and say Nairobi has some of the most advanced eye clinics in Africa. “We serve patients from as far as Saudi Arabia,” says Dr Samira Dedhia Soni, the managing director of Eye And U Ophthalmics in Westlands, Nairobi.
The clinic is the latest addition to Kenya’s impressive array of facilities specialising in advanced eyecare services. Dr Soni says Nairobi’s growing attraction is due to expertise, acquisition of the latest medical equipment, accessibility and reasonable cost compared to other destinations.
The ministry of health estimates that between 30 and 60 Kenyans travel to India every month to seek specialised treatment.
This bleeds the economy of about Sh10 billion annually that Kenyans spend abroad.
Dr Soni says the rapid growth of ophthalmology- a small specialty which focuses on the investigation, diagnosis and management of eye disorders – has placed Kenya almost at par with other destinations like India, Thailand, Germany, UK and USA.
The growth is driven by the graying of the society, and younger patients who are increasingly straining their eyes on electronic devices like smart phones and tablets.
“We have approximately 100 ophthalmologists in Kenya,” she says.
“When Kenyans have an eye problem, 90 per cent will go and see an optician first. Most people also refer to opticians as eye doctors. Opticians and optometrists learn basic eye care and refraction as a basic degree. Opthalmologists are eye specialists who have a basic degree in medicine and then they specialise in eye diseases and treatment, just like how others become surgeons and gynaecologists or ENT surgeons,” she says.
Dr Soni says the public needs to know the difference and when to see whom. “For example if you can’t see far, go see an optician or optometrist. When you have diabetes and can’t see far, see an ophthalmologist. If you suddenly see white flashes of light and are short sighted, immediately see an ophthalmologist, and preferably a vitro retinal surgeon,” she says.
Dr Kaushik Solanki, the refractive surgeon and cornea specialist at Eye N U, says ophthalmology requires advanced training and expensive equipment.
He treated many African patients at his clinic in India. This drove him and his friends with similar experiences to start a modern private eye hospital here. They felt Kenya is the medical hub of Sub Saharan Africa. They now treat patients from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia. Some patients also come from Britain, Italy and Saudi Arabia. “Our clients say that the treatment modalities are very modern, and reasonable,” he says.
Doctors at Eye & U believe they have inserted the first trifocal and toric multifocal intraocular lens in Africa. These lenses treat both presbyopia (farsightedness due to old age) and astigmatism (a defect causing blurred vision) in patients needing cataract surgery.
Dr Soni says they have the latest machines for cataract treatment and a wide variety of intraocular lenses that suit a clients’ lifestyle.
According to Dr Shaileen Parikh, a vitreo retinal surgeon at the clinic, all good eye practices should either have all diagnostic machines or at least have access to a good diagnostic eye lab.
Eye and U is also popular for Lasik eye surgeries. Lasik is an outpatient refractive surgery procedure to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
The eye doctor usually creates a thin flap in the cornea and then folds back the flap and precisely ablates some corneal tissue under the flap using an laser. The flap is then laid back into its original position where it heals in place. Clients do not need glasses or contact lenses after the procedure.
“It’s a very safe surgery,” says Dr Solanki. “It takes about 20 minutes and we have the most modern machine for that. In Lasik, the pre-Lasik assessment is the most important. We follow a very strict procedure and criteria in choosing the patients who are eligible. Sometimes people come here with money and we say no, because they don’t fit the criteria. Lasik is elective surgery and one must not put the patient to any risk, hence patient selection is key.”
The clinic started in May last year, and currently boasts equipment worth about Sh300 million. It has three fulltime retina specialists and two general ophthalmologists. There are also visiting glaucoma and oculoplasty experts.
Nairobi also boasts other top-of-the notch eye clinics. The Hurligham-based Eagle Eye Laser & Diagnostic Centre began in 2010.
“If someone needs a cornea transplant, we are able to do it. If someone has glaucoma - that is high pressure in the eyes - we can take care of that, if someone needs refractory surgery we are able to provide that,” one of the founders, Dr Kahaki Kimani, told the BBC.
Dr Mukesh Joshi of the Laser Eye Centre at Sarit Centre in Nairobi offers the equally popular C-Ten eye surgery, sometimes referred to as Advanced Surface Ablation. It relies on laser beam, without the cutting of the cornea.
