The Eye Camp, 5 March 2011

The Rotary Club of Monkseaton Centenary sponsored 3 people, Barbara Connors-Fowler, a club ex-president, Mary Rathbone, Sister at the Whitley Bay Health Centre and Tegan Chapman, a journalist. to go to Nepal with Vera of Javea-in-Nepal for the eye camp.

Everyone attending the camp had to be registered and all their details filled in on official forms. Two of the teachers and Tegan and I did all that. They then moved on to the initial eye tests, reading at a short distance from the lettered card, which was done outside. The school was used for the in-depth eye testing. In the first room, after testing, two consultants separated those who needed spectacles and those who needed treatment of some sort. Some needing drops for eye infections and some minor eye surgery, where cysts could be easily removed, were treated in the second room. Those with cataracts, some in one eye and some in both, were referred for surgery at the hospital and scheduled for 9th.March.

Out of 52 diagnosed as needing surgery, 27 people accepted. The others were afraid of surgery. Anaesthetics are commonplace to us but very frightening to people unused to amenities like our National Health Service. Maybe they will see the advantages at a later date.

Cataracts are very common in countries like Nepal because of the intense sunlight and the very thin air in the hills.

One man, Humar, had cataracts in both eyes and had been blind for 47 years. During all that time, he had to look after his animals and work on his bit of land, as for many years he was the only support that the family had.

He features in many of our photos and you can follow his progress through the month following his 1st. eye test.

Babita is 7 and she was born blind in one eye. She faced a life of teasing and not being able to marry and have a family of her own. All this will be remedied as she is to have cosmetic surgery, which will give her a false eye and she will look normal and beautiful, just like her mum.

Photographs illustrating this project can be viewed in the project galleries.

After the Eye Camp, a visit to the Prmary School March 2011

During the day following the Eye Camp, Barbara and Tegan visited the school to give hygiene advice. The school is situated next to our Health Post and we have developed a good working relationship with the staff.

Barbara gave a talk, along with Jack our interpreter, on various aspects of hygiene. All the children were given toothbrushes which had been generously donated by Robert Chapman of The Kingston Park Dental Practice in Newcastle.

The children also chose knitwear that had been knitted by our hard-working friends of Age UK in Tyneside.

The children sang and perfomed Nepalese dancing to entertain our team.