Gift of sight for 102-year-old ‘gogo’

Netcare Alberlito Hospital’s first-rate eye surgeon, Dr Malcolm Carey and his team gave 13 under privileged patients back the gift of sight, on Thursday, October 15.

Ophthalmologists world-wide are encouraged to do charity work and a number of years ago, Dr Carey initiated annual free cataract extractions and lens implants at Netcare Alberlito Hospital during eye care awareness month for people who are unable to afford this life-changing procedure.

A cataract is a medical condition in which the lens of one or both eyes becomes progressively cloudy, resulting in blurred vision – a bit like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. To correct this condition, the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a new lens.

“I donate my time, the hospital donates the theatre, nurses and drugs, and the pharmaceutical companies donate the equipment,” said Dr Carey.

He said patients were selected through a screening process that evaluated the degree of visual impairment as well as financial resources.

“I wish we could do more,” said Dr Carey, with genuine passion and care.

The Courier was allowed into the operating theatre, kitted out in a full set of scrubs, advised not to touch anything blue as those were sterile surfaces and witnessed first-hand the miracle of eye surgery unfold.

With the sedated patient fully covered up and only the clamped open eye to be operated on peeking through a square window in the blue “sheet”, Dr Carey and his team worked their magic.

First, Dr Carey carefully removed the cloudy lens while nurse Hazel Pyadanna kept the eye moist and clear with a balanced salt solution that is similar to the fluid that naturally occurs in the eye. Anything else would turn the eye milky.

Next, Pyadanna handed over the new lens to Dr Carey, who implanted it with surgical precision.

The procedure was quick and patients did not need to spend a night in hospital. One of the 13 candidates was a 102-year-old “gogo” Nomahlanu Hadebe, from Velani Township who wanted to see the world again before she died.

Kanaimah Gounden said she was especially grateful that she would be able to sew, cook and see her grandchildren again while John Chimphepo from Sheffield was looking forward to watching television again.

“I feel like I won the lotto,” said Ballito’s Herman Havenga who had been trying to have the procedure done at three different government hospitals for the last three years.

He said he was eternally grateful for Dr Carey fixing his eyes for him. Follow-up consultations were also included in the free surgery.