Eye Clinic opens at Joza
On 10 April, we will officially launch the Eye Clinic at the Youth Hub in Joza. Initiated by an idea of Dr Trevor Davies, today it is run by Dr Davies Optometry, St John Ambulance and by the Raphael Centre.
The Eye Clinic provides its services for free. On offer are eye exams, retinal scans (photographs of the back of the eye), TB and STI screening as well as HIV counselling and testing.
The purpose is to provide a broader health check package to individuals who live in neighbourhoods where eye care still is very scarce. This will be supported by local clinics, which will be able to refer patients for eye screening.
Basing it at Joza Youth Hub is ideal.
“We were very fortunate that the local initiative ‘ Access Music Project’ (AMP) has offered sharing with us their office at the Youth Hub,” said Raphael Centre's Nomfundo Thobi.
The site will make it easier for a number of people who currently need travel long distances to access these services.
A new retinal camera takes detailed photographs of the back of the eye. These photographs are then sent to Dr Tre- vor Davies and his optometric team, Jan-Louis Fourie and Anche Oosthuizen for further examination.
“When we look at these pictures, we will be able to readily detect a number of eye problems more easily – which if left undiscovered and untreated – can potentially cause blindness and/ or loss of vision,” Fourie said. “Diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and HIV can all affect our eyes and thus affect sight.
“As we have a high incident rate of these illnesses in Grahamstown, the new camera can help with earlier detection, and ultimately, diagnosis of eye problems.”
It is the Raphael Centre’s hope that it will therefore help prevent unnecessary blindness in our community and contribute to a healthier quality of life for many people in Grahamstown.
In instances where retinal photographs pick up eye problems, patients will quickly be referred to the appropriate medical services for further management.
For instance, diabetic problems or in cases of high blood pressure people might be referred to nearby clinics for better blood pressure management.
In incidences of HIV, people are recommended to see counsellors at Raphael Centre.
If on eye screening, eye problems are diagnosed that need further management they will be referred to St Johns Ambulance and Provincial Opthalmology Clinic, Port Elizabeth.
The Raphael Centre provides a number of support services for HIV patients.
In this way the clinic will help to serve as an integrated healthcare access point that will help facilitate timely management of both eye and other health problems. Eyetesting, HIV-counselling and testing, as well as TB and STI screenings are done by Raphael Centre staff Ntombezodwa ‘Zodwa’ Goje and Nomfundo Thobi.
Among other projects, both run the “Khanya-Be SMART” (Shine-Mind-Act-Raffle-Test) project at local schools which are this year Ntsika Secondary School, TM Mrwetyana and Khutliso Daniels.
Our team holds HIV and reproductive health discussions with all classes from Grade 8 to Grade 12.
“Apart from ‘scanning’ what pupils know, we trigger interesting dialogues about HIV prevalence in their age group, teenage pregnancy, ‘sugar daddies’ and healthy relationships, but also pride and selfconfidence.
“The aim is to motivate each of the students to undergo with us HIV testing as well as STI screening”, says Zodwa.
After being tested the learners are able to enter a raffle to win a bicycle.
We are happy to be able to offer pupils HIV-counselling and testing closer to the school’s neighbourhoods at the Joza Youth Hub.
The Raphael Centre has established a network together with Settlers Day Hospital and Social Work Services at Settlers Hospital to help provide ongoing support for adolescence living with HIV infection – particularly around issues of disclosure, emotional support and assistance with treatment adherence.
The Eye Clinic at Joza Youth Hub will be one of the accessible places for HIV counselling of HIV-positive children, teenagers and youth who will have access to this support network when required.