Marathon cataract operations help more than 50 seniors see again

TONGA – A total of 57 elderly patients are able to see again following a marathon of cataract operations at the local hospital over the weekend.

The Mpumalanga Department of Health and SA National Council for the Blind (SANCB) brought optometrists, ophthalmic nurses and ophthalmologists to the hospital to assist the eye clinic’s current staff between Thursday and Sunday.

According to Dr TJ Mokola, Tonga Hospital’s medical manager, the aim was to address the backlog of elderly patients in need of comprehensive eye services.

When the campaign started on Thursday morning, the elderly patients packed the clinic’s waiting room and were later moved to nearby waiting areas.

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They were mostly from Nkomazi’s most rural areas and are physically or financially unable to get to the hospital. The Nkomazi Local Municipality assisted in arranging special transport and Cllr Thoko Mkhatswa-Zitha, the MMC in charge of social development stated that they hope to do so more regularly.

Mokola stated that patients were screened for eye problems and then received glasses, treatment or advice.

A total of 50 cataract surgeries were scheduled on Saturday and Sunday, but they managed to fit in 57. Sixty-seven patients were also given spectacles.

Mokola said they would like to organise an event like this annually or even more regularly, if possible, as there is a large backlog. “Some people have cataracts in both eyes, which leaves them essentially blind,” he said.

According to Mokola, Tonga and Shongwe hospitals try to cooperate as much as possible to assist the people of Nkomazi. “We would really like a cataract surgeon on staff, not just an ophthalmologist. We need more specialists in rural areas such as Nkomazi,” he said.

Mokola explained that cataracts could be prevented, as they are caused by treatable conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Non-communicable diseases such as these can lead to various other problems and complications later in life.

He urged residents to go for regular check-ups to ensure doctors treat problems early on.

Sarah Gumede, the Mpumalanga Department of Health’s director for non-communicable diseases, agreed with this.

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“When your vision is deteriorating or you do not feel healthy, go to your doctor. Go test your blood pressure and glucose, as these can be indicators of bigger problems,” she said.

Gumede explained that they could not manage to arrange annual specialists’ visits such as these for the past couple of years, but hoped to do them more regularly from this year.

Steve Mohotsi, from the SANCB, explained that the organisation has contracts with government in several provinces to bring eye clinic services to people throughout SA. Sponsors fund their operations in other provinces. He explained that they screen people, treat them or give them glasses, operate at hospitals or refer them to bigger centres. A cataract operation takes between 20 and 30 minutes.

“We are very happy when we can send a person that had cataracts back home and they can see the road themselves instead of needing someone to lead them everywhere,” Mohotsi said.

According to Mohotsi, cataracts are a growing problem among older South Africans and there is a huge backlog for operations to remove them at various hospitals. “A problem like this needs continuous maintenance or the whole population will go blind. That’s why we need funding to continue our work. We need government to come on board.”

Mkhatswa-Zitha also made a surprise visit to the hospital on Thursday and said the attitudes of the doctors were superb.

“I wanted to see if staff treated the elderly like their own family, as is expected of them, and I was not disappointed,” she told Corridor Gazette.