Gauteng Health celebrates Eye Care Awareness Month at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital

Gift of sight for Charlotte Maxeke patients

Christmas came early for 140 patients with eye sight conditions at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic hospital (CMJAH) in Parktown, Johannesburg.

During the Eye Care Awareness Month (ECAM) which is commemorated annually from 21 September to 18 October the hospital performed 140 cataract surgeries in five days exceeding the target of 100 planned cases. In the previous years, the highest number of cataract surgeries performed was 118.  

Additionally, five emergency surgeries were performed under general anaesthetic during the Cataract Week which falls under the ECAM.  As part of ECAM campaign the hospital added Cornea Transplant Drive, which saw 10 corneal transplants being performed in two days.

The transplant drive was made possible by the generous support of an NPO called South African Life Improvement Charitable Trust (SALICT) who supplied the 10 corneas.

This initiative is part of the ongoing partnership established between SALICT and CMJAH last year. SALICT has donated 27 corneas over a 12-month period since November 2017, significantly augmenting the supply of corneas in the facility.

“The donation has made an enormous difference to the backlog of patients awaiting corneal transplant surgery at the hospital. Patients with corneal blindness have been waiting several years for sight-restoring corneal transplant surgery prior to the much-needed corneal tissue being made available by the hospital and provincial health authorities in 2014,” said hospital CEO, Gladys Bogoshi.

The waiting period for elective corneal transplant surgery has since improved, and more recently, with the cornea drive and vital support of SALICT, the waiting time has been reduced to a 6 – 12-month period. The corneal tissue is procured through National Medical Supplies, who themselves have on several occasions supported CMJAH by donating tissue to be used for emergency corneal transplant surgery.

Common causes of corneal blindness include keratoconus, bullous keratopathy, infectious keratitis and trauma. Corneal transplant surgery is often invasive surgery with a long recovery period and requires intensive monitoring with close follow-up of the patient. Patients are generally seen regularly in the cornea clinic for up to two years following the surgery.

A frequent cause of corneal blindness necessitating corneal transplant surgery in young patients is keratoconus, a progressive ectatic disease of the cornea which if treated early in the disease process can avoid corneal transplant surgery altogether. The treatment used is called Corneal Crosslinking and involves the use of ultraviolet light and a photosensitizer to strengthen the bonds in the corneal tissue and prevent further ectasia.

“Hospital efforts are underway to help procure the Crosslinking machine, which will massively impact the lives of young patients, helping prevent interrupted schooling, as well as loss of jobs and family income. The burden on public sector will also be significantly improved through prevention of surgery and its attendant admission and clinic follow-up costs.

“While we can hope to reduce the burden of corneal blindness through treatments like Corneal Crosslinking, we will always be reliant on the availability of corneal transplant tissue made available to our patients by Province and so generously augmented by NPO’s like SALICT to whom we are accountable. The hospital is grateful for the continuous support and partnership with SALICT for their impact in the lives of many patients with eye conditions,” said Bogoshi.

Those wanting to contribute to this sight restoring initiative are urged to contact Rajesh Ramdass at SALICT on 0844780099.

Enquiries:
Lungiswa Mvumvu
Cell: 082 319 1480
E-mail: mediaenquiries@gauteng.gov.za

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