The gift of sight

 VANDERBIJLPARK. – Today (October 10) is World Sight Day and in celebration of this day, 160 patients received the gift of sight, following miracle-working surgery performed by various ophthalmologists from the Eye Institute. Patients from the Vaal, in particular from Vanderbijlpark received this wonderful gift.

The operations were performed as part of the Unclouding Cataracts campaign, which sees the institute, its specialists and other participating organisations doing free cataract removal surgery.

The Eye Institute has already operated on over 3 000 patients as part of the Unclouding Cataracts campaign.

Maryke Lotz, the Eye Institute’s marketing and communication manager says “For us at the Institute, and the many other people who help make this possible, sight is the ultimate gift that keeps on giving. Year after year, operation after operation, we are humbled by the enormous difference that this relatively small procedure makes in people’s lives.”

Dr Moodley, one of the ophthalmologists from the Eye Institute says they currently have a waiting list of 500 patients that is growing daily. “This may sound like a source of concern, which it is, but above all, it motivates and inspires us and many other stakeholders to try even harder to keep on giving the gift of sight,” she concludes.

Cataracts are formed by the clouding of the normally transparent crystalline lens in the eye, causing blurry vision. Its causes cover a wide spectrum, including:

· Congenital, including genetic diseases

· Inflammation due to eye disease

· Intra uterine infection and ocular anomalies

· Lifestyle factors such as aging, smoking and diabetes

· Toxins such as steroids

· Trauma

· UV exposure