PHASE two of the Jamaica-Cuba Eye Care Programme has now turned its focus to the southern sections of the island, paying special attention to cataracts, according to programme co-ordinator, Claudette Yeard.

"The objective of phase two of the project is to reduce the prevalence of blindness. Cataract is one of the leading causes of blindness, therefore the aim is to find those persons with cataracts to have surgery to prevent blindness," Yeard told the Observer. "We have covered areas like Franfield Health Centre, Lionel Town, Mandeville Regional Hospital and now we are actually at Mile Gully. Since we have been in Mile Gully [in Manchester] we have selected over 66 cataract patients."

The 66 patients were selected from 1,260 patients who were screened from October 13 to 31 in that community.
Meanwhile, Yeard said 1,115 patients have received surgeries under the programme - which sees patients travelling to Cuba for surgery - since the beginning of the year. This brings to more than 5,000 the total number of Jamaicans that have received surgery since the programme started in 2005. Additionally, Yeard said of the more than 1,000 patients that benefited from surgery, 748 were treated for cataracts; 290 for pteryium (a fleshy tissue that grows in a triangular shape over the cornea); while 117 patients received treatment for other conditions including strabismus (cross-eyed) and ptosis (drooping of upper eyelid).

"The response has been very good. We have been having overwhelming turnouts at all the centres we have been to.
Unfortunately we are not able to see everybody," Yeard explained. "On a typical day you will have at least 200 or more patients coming out to the centre. Our objective is to see at least 80 persons per day, but sometimes we see up to 100".

Yeard said 35 more patients were sent to Cuba yesterday and another 37 or more are expected to leave before the end of the month.

The screening team is also expected to complete screening in the southern region by month end, after which they will be taking a break and then resume in January.

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