Rwandans aged from 40 years and over could be silently living with eye complications although most may not notice. People in this age bracket need to visit an ophthalmologist to assess them.
Dr. Elisa Emmanuel Hategekimana at Kabgayi hospital in Southern Rwanda says those age 40 years and above need to periodically consult with the nearby ophthalmologist to check for any eye defects.
“At least after every three years anyone with subscribed spectacles needs to consult with an ophthalmologist to assess whether the spectacles are still relevant to their condition. As one grows the spectacles may become irrelevant to their previous eye condition,” says Dr Hategekimana.
According to Dr. Hategikimana eye complications in children are mostly caused by mostly climate change leading to persistent scratching of their eyes. He also observes that long exposure to the television at home may also trigger eye complications in children.
He also explains that most people may not be aware that they have sick eyes especially those aged 40 and over.
“Scratching eyes, inability to see things either far away or near and seeing blurred images are the most common diagnosed eye complications among Rwandans. We need to take care of our eyes and always consult with an ophthalmologist,” Dr Hategikimana says.
Niyondamya Jean Damascene told Taarifa that he has been wearing spectacles for a long period and has always thought they are still helping him. He has not visited the ophthalmologist to reassess his condition and whether the spectacles are still relevant.
According to him, once he was prescribed these spectacles, he thought they were a permanent solution to his eye defect. He didn’t know that he had to check with the doctor periodically.
“I cannot see things far away.I’m myopic or short sighted. After going through a test at the hospital i discovered that the spectacles i have been wearing this long have not been of any help,” Niyondamya says.
After running through a test, Niyondamya was told that he needed to acquire a new pair of spectacles required to correct his altered eye condition. “ Sometimes we think we are well but actually our eyes may be sick,” he says.
For Nyirabahire Eudia aged 30 years, she’s not been feeling well for quite long and whenever she checked in at the health centres, doctors would find no illnesses in her body.
However, when she went to Kabgayi to meet an ophthalmologist, she discovered that she was living with an eye defect that needed to be corrected. Her eyes had developed blurring effect.
She never thought that at her age would have any form of eye complications. Nyirabahire advises her peers to regularly consult with an ophthalmologist to be aware of their chaging eye conditions.
“I wasn’t not aware of my eye condition. I wouldn’t see properly and doctors had failed to diagnose any sickness in my body. Young people should not relax and think everything is ok with their eyes. They need to check up with the ophthalmologist regularly,” she says.
Dr. Tuyisabe Theophile that heads the Opthalmologic department at Kabgayi hospital says in a bid to prevent blindness his team has for the past week been diagnosing and treating various eye complications among members of different communities.
According to him, this free service has been rendered as part of honouring the World Sight day- an international day of awareness held every october to particculary focus on the global issue of eye health.
