VIDEO, PICS: Through the eyes of a cataracts patient

A number of free cataract surgeries were performed by the Pretoria Eye Institute this week, in celebration of World Sight Day.

The Citizen shadowed one of the recipients as they prepared for their journey to undergo an operation to restore vision in their left eye.

Free surgeries

68-year-old Johanna Mtshwene was agitated but ecstatic to be one of the 120 people chosen by the hospital to have their vision restored without worrying about the expensive costs.

On 13 October, the eye hospital closed its doors, and dedicated five theatres and five ophthalmologists to carrying out cataract removal operations.

Cataracts is one of the leading causes of blindness in South Africa, with the majority of the blind living in rural communities, unable to afford the life-changing surgical procedure.

According to The Right to Sight Trust, an estimated 290,000 South Africans could become blind as a result of untreated cataracts.

When life became blurry

Mtshwene recounted the day she started experiencing cloudy vision.

“I was busy ironing and I realised that something was wrong with my eyes, and I could not see properly.”

That was the start of the gradual onset of cataract symptoms – unbeknownst to her and her family, who thought all she needed was eyeglasses, and that the self-reliant Mtshwene would regain her sight.

But after a period of wearing her glasses, her cloudy vision was onerous, and vision in both eyes began deteriorating fast.

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Perturbed, her family booked her to see an ophthalmologist at the Pretoria Eye Institute earlier this year.

That was when she learned she had developed cataracts in both her eyes due to diabetes.

A cataract is when your eye’s natural lens becomes cloudy, owed to proteins in the lens breaking down, causing blurry or dull vision.

It is a slow process that steadily progresses over weeks, months and years, varying from each individual.

Expert care

Mtshwene was received by eye specialist Dr Hamza Tayob, who has been part of the hospital since 2018.

Tayob said cataracts mostly affects the elderly, from the age of 50. He said anyone was at risk of developing cataracts, regardless of whether one leads a healthy lifestyle.

Causes of cataracts include age, diabetes, high blood pressure, trauma, and infection.

Thankfully, a cataracts operation is fast and has a high success rate, rarely taking longer than 15 minutes.

Mtshwene’s surgery took 20 minutes due to the hardness of her cataracts.

She was only operated on her left eye, despite having blurred vision in both eyes.

 Tayob explained that this was to avoid infection, which can affect both eyes if operated on at the same time. It was also a precaution to allow the patient to use the other eye while she recovers.

Check-ups essential

Urging people to have eye checkups if they notice any symptoms, under the theme “love your eyes”, Tayob said un-operated cataracts can lead to vision impairment.

“I can see that the operation was successful before I am even done, but I will also be checking on her again tomorrow.

“The healing process takes about six weeks. The patient will come back after a month just for a checkup.

He said the artificial lenses inserted into Mtshwene’s eyes need to be cleaned after six to twelve months.

“I thought it would be painful but it was not. I am very happy and I cannot wait to finally see again, and be able to do things on my own again,” said Mtshwene.

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