Sight First - Eye testing for Sungai Lembing residents

The Lions of Indera Mahkota and Kuantan City once again rose to the challenge of Hellen Keller made in 1925 to the Lions Clubs International to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness”.

At the premises of the Persatuan Kwong Siew in Sungai Lembing recently, the Lions of these two clubs jointly organised a half day eye screening and sight conservation exercise with the valuable assistance and input of 2 doctors and 8 medical officers/ophthalmologists/nurses from Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA) led by Dr. Rohana Bt Ab Rashid. The Lions Sight First Mobile Eye Van from The Lions Eye Clinic in Kuala Lumpur equipped with eye screening instruments, namely 2 units of Auto Refractometer, a Lensmeter, a Computerized Tonometer, and a Light Boxeye was on hand to provide the hospital staff with the necessary equipment for carrying out tests on the participants. Members of the Lions Club of Indera Mahkota and Lions Club of Kuantan City assisted the staff of HTAA by providing translation services for the elderly.

The event was a huge success and received great response from the residents of Sungai Lembing. 102 people comprising children and adults, young and old, queued up to have their eyes screened. Out of these, it was diagnosed that 5 people had Glaucoma, 5 people had Cataracts and 1 person had Pterygium. All of these people have been given appointments at HTAA to obtain treatment. In addition, 5 other people have also been referred to the Diabetic Clinic within the Opthalmology Department of HTAA to receive treatment and advice.

According to Organising Chairpersons, Lion Frances Kwuek and Lion Chang Wen Bing, the Lions of the world have been working continuously on sight programmes aimed at reducing the incidences of preventable blindness since accepting Hellen Keller’s challenge. The Lions Eye Clinic in Kuala Lumpur was set up in the year 2009 to provide free eye care and cataract surgery for the poor and at a highly subsidised fee for the needy. More information can be obtained from its website www.lionseyeclinic.org/.