High cases of cataract
AFTER 14 years of holding the annual free eye surgery for Fijians around the country, the Rotary Club of Taveuni has continued to receive increasing cases of cataract.
This week, cataract has so far surpassed other cases of eye diseases presented during the clinic at Waiyevo Hospital.
Organised by the Rotary Club of Taveuni as an annual event, eye surgeons have seen increasing cases of cataract.
Club member Michael Prasad said about 95 per cent of cases seen so far were cataract.
“This is the 14th year we have organised this free eye surgery known as the Taveuni Eye Project and we continue to receive increasing cases of cataract,” he said.
“So far this week most patients who have been examined suffer from cataract.
“These include patients from around the country as far as the Ra and Ba provinces, and we’re expecting patients from maritime islands.”
Australian volunteer Peter Malden said that within two days they had attended to 88 eye surgeries.
“This project will last 10 days so we will do more and we have had people as old as 84 and the young patients are our children,” he said.
“They have come in and our doctors have examined their eyes but won’t be able to do any surgeries yet.”
For 84-year-old Lokimi Naoma, who travelled from Raviravi Village in Ra, restoring his sight was an early Christmas gift.
He told doctors that he could now return home and see the faces of his greatgrandchildren and continue with farm work.
Retired school principal Samuela Kautoga also thanked the team for restoring his sight.
Both his eyes had cataract which were removed by surgeons.