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Sunday 21 September 2008
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CATARACT OPERATIONS IN KNYSNA for SOUTHERN CAPE

The blind can see again as a result of the Karoo to Coast MTB Marathon

In 1999 the Lions clubs of Knysna and Uniondale got together to organise the first KAROO TO COAST 100km mountainbike challenge, from Uniondale, over Die Ou Wa Pad, down the Prince Alfred’s Pass, through Gouna forest and into Knysna.

This is now an annual event which takes place every September, and is growing at an unprecedented rate

The project was undertaken for the specific purpose of raising funds for Cataract Operations in the area. At the time there was a back-log of about 750 patients needing operations, and more patients present with cataracts every month

With the assistance of the Lions Mobile eye clinic, and the Prevention of Blindness staff, the Knysna Hospital and Ophthalmologists (who donate their time and expertise) we have miracles performed on blind and nearly blind patients three times a year

Knysna Lions organise and co-ordinate the operations (for Uniondale and Knysna) and these are done at the Knysna Provincial Hospital

Our first Cataract “tour” was moderately successful, with 36 people eventually having the operations. (This out of a possible 80 bookings.) The confidence has now grown in the community, and we achieve up to 74 operations in a week

People from all walks of life can qualify for the operation if they cannot afford to pay the normal fee.

It is a highly emotional experience seeing these people when they find that they have recovered their sight. Visiting the patients the day after their operation is indeed food for the soul! What happiness!

One of the patients was a positive, friendly and delightful young lady, who had had both legs amputated. She kept the whole ward laughing, joking and happy. What satisfaction we got from that lady’s operation!

We have discovered that there had been a great deal of fear and anxiety about the prognosis amongst the patients. Many had simply not arrived, as they were too afraid Success bred success, and word got around about the miracle of the operations, and the patients now look forward to their operations

At this stage we have had 527 operations performed, and are busy with another tour now (in March, 2004)

We have successfully eliminated the original back-log, but there are still many who have not yet had their diagnostic examinations, and many of these will no doubt qualify for the operation.

There are still many unnecessarily blind people in the area, who accept blindness as inevitable, and are unaware that they could have their sight restored