Background: Gender issues in eye care are a global priority. Women have been recognized to face challenges in eye care. This includes a higher prevalence of disease conditions such as cataract to service delivery in which it is noted that they take up services especially for cataract surgery less than their male counterpart. This report seeks to document the experience and outcome of this organized gender-sensitive eye care project and in addition, make recommendations for future gender programmes. Women in the state were invited to participate in a free cataract surgical eye camp project. A talk on HIV was given at each centre and women willing to have free HIV testing were tested and counselled accordingly. Methods: A total of four thousand two hundred and thirty nine (4239) women were examined between 1st July and 30 September 2007. Eye operations were performed on th 261 (6%) women during the duration of this project. Extra capsular cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation was performed in 185 out of the 261 eye surgeries. Of the 4239 women who presented, a total of nine hundred and twenty three women (923) voluntarily screened for HIV. Out of these, thirty eight (38) women tested positive, of which 35 accepted counselling and commenced treatment. Two thousand five hundred and sixty-six (2566) 61% of participants at the eye camp were given reading glasses; most of these women were civil servants (teachers). Results: A female only surgical cataract eye camp is possible. It is convenient, economical and beneficial to have a collaborative programme with the committee on HIV/AIDS. This project was a successful strategy to reduce blindness, poverty and ensure empowerment of women. Recommendations are made towards a holistic approach in the organization of cataract surgical eye camps and for women.
Objective: The prevention of childhood blindness through the provision of preventive services at the community level, specialized surgical services in ophthalmic units and the provision of devices to correct low vision and services to children with established visual loss. Materials and methods: A series of free surgical cataract eye camps which focused on only women were conducted throughout Delta State in which children with eye problems were incidentally identified and treated. Of the 4239 women seen, 1006 (24%) brought their children along with them. Out of the 1006 children that accompanied their mothers, 840 (83%) were seen based on the request of their mothers for their ocular examination. Of these children, 28 (3%) had ocular morbidity. There were 19 boys and 9 girls. The majority of the children were between 2 to 5 years of age. The commonest causes of ocular morbidity were congenital and developmental cataract (24%), vernal conjunctivitis (28%), congenital glaucoma (14%) and corneal opacity from measles, harmful traditional eye practises and severe vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Others were refractive error, strabismus and optic atrophy. Results: A total of 10 children underwent surgery. Surgical procedures included 4 lensectomy and 3 lensectomy with intraocular lens implantation, 2 trabeculectomy and 1 optical iridectomy. One patient was given spectacles for juvenile onset myopia. Conclusion: There is a potential for a female gender focused eye programme, to promote child eye health and prevent childhood blindness.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.