Visiting team treats over 200 eye patients

MORE than 200 eye disease patients in East New Britain were treated by a visiting group of doctors and nurses at the St Mary’s Vunapope Hospital, Kokopo in the past three weeks.
The eye specialists and nurses were from the Christian Blind Mission in Goroka, the Eastern Highlands Health Authority and the Port Moresby General Hospital.
They worked alongside doctors in East New Britain to treat the eye patients.
Dr Waimbe Wahamu, the Highlands regional chief ophthalmologist based at the Mt Hagen General Hospital in Western Highlands, said people with eye problems faced difficulties in doing things.
He urged the people of ENB to take good care of their eyes, and for those having problems with their eyes to have a check-up at the Nonga Hospital eye clinic in Rabaul.
Wahamu said they treated 126 people with cataract issues, plus 144 who needed surgeries for pterygium.
“A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye which causes a decrease in vision.
“It develops slowly and can affect one or both eyes.
“Symptoms may include faded colours, blurry or double vision, halos around light, trouble with bright lights and trouble seeing at night,” he said.
“Cataract is difficult to prevent because it is due to aging.
“Your natural lens become old.
“A lot of people over 60 years lose their sights during this stage,” Wahamu said.
“Pterygium is a growth that invades the cornea. Pterygium affects all age groups.
“It is caused by the sun and heat.
“To prevent yourself from getting pterygium, wear sunglasses.”
Wahamu thanked Dame Sandra Lau and the Tropicana management for supporting the visiting doctors and nurses.
Dame Sandra hosted a farewell lunch for the visiting doctors and nurses on Friday.