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Bangladesh: Camp focuses on eye checks
Hundreds of children and adults have had their eyes checked at an eye camp held in Bangladesh.
The camp was held at a school in World Vision’s Dhaka Shishu Area Development Programme (ADP). Technical assistance was provided by the Lions Eye Hospital in Dhaka.
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Bright eyes in Bangladesh - eye disease is a serious public health issue which World Vision is helping to rectify.
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“We arrange this eye care camp every year to save children from blindness, especially for those who cannot afford proper medical treatment,” said ADP Dhaka Shishu manager Theotonius Rozario.
“Blindness is a public health problem in Bangladesh and people are not much aware about their eye problems. This exercise is helpful to make people aware about eye care,” he added.
Eye specialist doctors and technicians examined almost 500 people including sponsored children, their parents and community members in the ADP’s six compartments. World Vision helped cover most of any treatment costs.
The main aim of the camp was to screen for cataracts and eye problems such as refraction errors. The worst cases were referred to the Lions Eye Hospital.
Eleven-year-old Babli Akter, a World Vision-sponsored child, reported on his examination: “I have pain, tears and itching in my eyes. The doctor examined my eyes and suggested me to use spectacles and prescribed some medicines.”
Momtaj Begum, 45, mother of sponsored child, Shakila Akter, nine, came to the camp with her daughter.
Momtaj said: “I have constant pain and tears running from my eyes. It is too costly to visit an eye specialist; beyond my ability. This is a great opportunity for me.”
Dr Farid Uddin, one of the medical team members said that the people they treated were very poor and the aid provided by World Vision was badly needed.
According to government health figures, around 40,000 Bangladeshi children are blind with six million people suffering from poor vision, while 150,000 people go blind every year. More than 12,000 children suffer unnecessary blindness due to un-operated cataracts and for want of surgical care. |
