Cataract surgeries delayed, elderly face inconvenience

Aurangabad, May 9:

About 250 to 300 cataract surgeries are performed per month in the eye hospital located in front of Aamkhas ground under the district civil hospital. However, the surgeries have been closed for a few days due to the corona outbreak in the district. Hence hundreds of elderly people are facing inconvenience. Even the government medical college and hospital is performing only essential eye surgeries.

Cataract surgeries performed under the public health department had stalled last year. This year again the surgeries have been affected due to Covid-19. Cataracts are more common in people over 50 years of age. If the cataract stays untreated, it transforms into glaucoma and the person might also lose sight. Under the National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB), a large number of cataract surgeries are performed in the eye hospital. But, surgeries have been put on hold from past few months. As a result, patients are forced to get treated in private hospitals. But many poor patients cannot afford to go to private hospitals due to lack of money. District eye surgeon Dr Jyoti Munde said that cataract surgeries are currently closed due to coronavirus. Only essential eye surgeries are being performed in the GMCH and at present the number of patients is also low.

Surgeries need to start

Cataract surgeries are stopped. As a result, poor people are deprived of cataract surgery. Over 200 senior citizens are on waiting for surgery in the entire district. The surgeries should be resumed, said Dr Mahesh Vaishnav, state president, government opthalmic officers association.