The Department of Health Services in Kiambu County held a free eye screening and treatment clinic for school-going children in Biashara Ward Ruiru, concluding a series of eye clinics held in February to observe the Low Vision Awareness Month.
Low Vision refers to a visual impairment that cannot be corrected fully with glasses, contact lenses, medication or surgery and significantly impacts a person’s ability to perform daily activities. Individuals with low vision experience limitations in activities such as reading, writing, driving or recognizing the facial features of people around them.
A World Health Organization (WHO) task force on blindness data found that 90 percent of people with low vision reside in underdeveloped countries, with 75 percent in Africa and Asia.
Speaking at the event, Dr Janet Waweru an Ophthalmologist at Kikuyu Eye Unit in Kiambu said there were a number of reasons that led to declining eye health in individuals that struggle with low vision.
‘Conditions such as macular degenerat
ion, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts are generally the major causes of low eye vision. However other causes include trauma to the head or eyes, genetic factors such as retinitis pigmentosa and aging because as people age, the risk of developing vision-related issues increases. Some occupations also involve prolonged exposure to eye strain or hazardous materials that greatly increase an individual’s risk of developing low vision,’ said Dr Waweru.
She added that managing low vision was challenging, but there were several strategies and tips that could help individuals with low vision make the most of their remaining vision and maintain independence after diagnosis through rehabilitation techniques that combine adaptive technology, orientation, and mobility training plus occupational and physical therapy.
‘The use of magnification devices such as magnifying glasses or electronic magnifiers that help with reading and viewing of objects, adaptive devices such as phones with oversized buttons, watch
es that speak the time aloud, and mobility training from professionals who teach techniques for safe navigation of an individual’s environment using mobility aids such as canes if needed, are strategies that make independence a reality for individuals with low vision and enable them to embrace their lives fully.’ She said.
Peter Wainaina, a Grade 7 class teacher at Good Foundation School in Ruiru said he was grateful that the eye clinic had chosen to offer free testing and treatment in Biashara Ward.
‘I had noticed that some students in my class have issues with their vision. They had previously complained that the blackboard had become blurry and indistinct which is challenging for them as they cannot participate with the rest of the students during class. The eye clinic will hopefully help us find a solution to the vision issues they are currently facing,’ he said.
On his part, Dr Vincent Opiyo, a retina and cataract surgeon at Lions Sight First Eye Hospital emphasized the importance of early detection a
nd intervention.
‘Regular eye exams enable us to identify and address associated eye problems that can significantly impact an individual’s vision. By detecting and treating these issues promptly, we can help patients maximize their remaining vision,’ said Dr Munene.
Source: Kenya News Agency
WINDHOEK: The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) on Thursday destroyed a consignment of cocaine valued at N.dollars 206 million.
The drugs, according to the Head of NamPol’s Forensic Science Institute, Nelius Becker, were part of a drug trafficking case dating back to June 2018, involving two men, Grant Noble and Dinath Azhar, who have since been convicted and sentenced to prison terms of 12 years. It has since been established that the drugs weighed 412kg and were imported from Brazil through the Port of Walvis Bay.
‘We get the drugs depending on how long the case takes to finalise because we want to take liability of wherever the drugs are being stored. We need to destroy them as quickly as possible because we do not want the drugs to react or disappear in the streets. In the coming weeks, we will be disposing of cannabis,’ Becker said.
He further stressed that although there has not been a lot of cases involving habit-forming drugs such as heroine, there has been an increase in the number of drug traffickin
g cases.
‘We all know what the scourge of drugs is in this country. We should all stand together and fight, to rid the country of this. Unfortunately it appears that some of the harbours in South Africa might not be conducive for these drugs to go through because of the measures put in place, so they move to other venues like the Walvis Bay harbour as a through road to get the drugs somewhere else. It is important that we are vigilant about this,’ Becker added.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency