On December 17, 2018 this writer arrives at Minelik II Referral Hospital to learn about the efforts of the Ethiopian Eye Bank to prevent causes of visual impairment and regain the sights of prior victims of corneal damage.
Nega Demisie, Public Relation Officer at Ethiopian Eye Bank, helped this writer to meet father of a ninth grader student who had gone through the corneal transplantation. Getu Birhanu, residence of Burayu, a small town in Oromia Regional State, at his forties, leads happy life with his five charming children.
Getu told this writer how he leant his son Abiy was in ways to losing his sight. “From the beginning, my son’s one eye was attacked by corneal damage but we were not aware of the severity of the case.” Abiy’s mother keeps following her son’s conditions, yet no healing progress was observed for 20 solid agony days.
Losing hope of improvement, the family decided to visit WGGA Specialized Eye Clinic, a private eye clinic in the capital for further treatments. Confirming the case is corneal problem, the clinic recommended them to deal with it in urgency. Worse to the scenario, after Abiy leant his case, his performance in his education starts to dwindle and keep on marginalizing himself from his peers.
The family decided to meet Dr. Menen Ayalew, Medical Director of Ethiopia Eye Bank, up on recommendation by Dr. Eliyas Hailu who is cornea specialist. As to Getu, the Bank offered their son corneal tissue for free and if it had been for charge they could not afford by any means. “The Bank showed us strenuous efforts to undertake corneal surgery transplant and regain my son’s sight.
His sight recovered soon which made the whole family so delighted.” Dr. Eliyas Hailu, cornea specialist, says Abiy’s problem was keratoconus in both eyes worse in the right to the extent of blindness according to WHO definition. His right eye vision was only counting finger at a meter whereas the left was 20/100. He said that he conducted full thickness corneal transplant on Aug 23/18 with great success.
The specialist noted that his sight is showing steady improvement and expected to be perfect over a year. Getu and his family have restored their happiness and express their sincere gratitude. “I would like to thank Ethiopian Eye Bank for their generous efforts in shaping resources and capitalize the human development as well the corneal donors. I want to thank the donors of cornea because they give second chance for those who attacked by avoidable blindness.” Dr. Menen told this write that corneal disease affects a transparent layer that shields our eyes from bacteria and debris.
This condition may develop when we become injured or an infection occurs. Genetic traits can also trigger it. The symptoms range from light sensitivity to severe pain. Like many diseases, this medical problem comes in numerous varieties. The best solution differs depending on the specific type of corneal disease.
The cornea acts as a barrier against dirt, germs, and other particles that can harm the eye. The cornea shares this protective task with the eyelids and eye sockets, tears, and the sclera (white part of the eye). The cornea also plays a key role in vision by helping focus the light that comes into the eye. According to her, after minor injuries or scratches, the cornea usually heals on its own.
Deeper injuries can cause corneal scarring, resulting in a haze on the cornea that impairs vision. If we have a deep injury, or a corneal disease or disorder, we could experience pain in the eye, sensitivity to light, reduced vision or blurry vision, redness or inflammation in the eye, headache, nausea, fatigue among others.
According to the World Health Organization, corneal blindness is the 4th leading cause of blindness globally (5.1%), and is one of the major causes of visual impairment after cataract, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. Dr. Menen confirmed the Bank is engaged in expanding awareness creation efforts to meet the demand nationwide. She keep on saying Bank, being lonely in sub-Saharan Africa, strives to deliver quality service for the past 15 years.
The Bank had conducted transplantation of cornea tissue for over 250 corneal blind this fiscal year alone while distributing 2068 tissues from its inception to now nationwide. Cognizant of extended demand, EBE operates in Amhara, Tigray, Oromia South Nation and Nationalities People States to ensure service at proximity.
The Bank is accreted of international quality certification for it complying services of conducting eye surgery services and operating corneal collecting, transplantation and processing capability of high standard quality. EBE has built efficient human capital and owns facility that could let operate in line with international standard quality. Dr. Menen stressed that “Donation of corneal is not only giving people back sight, rather is turning point where we could let productive human capital put in the labor force and improve livelihoods, open hope that no one should not go needlessly blind tomorrow.”
Accepting the noble cause, 15,000 Ethiopians pledged to give their corneas to the Eye Bank of Ethiopia upon their death. Eye Bank of Ethiopia is working industriously to repeal corneal blindness in the country collection and processing corneas from volunteers in 9 operational centers; yet, compared with the number of backlogs of over 300,000 the figure is meager.
The Bank is engaged in improving eye care system of nation, partnering with private and public hospitals and pertinent stakeholders in advocating for donations, professional development for cornea specialists, and care to those suffering from corneal blindness and human resource capacity building continuing its uncompromising mission to strengthen Ethiopia’s eye care system.
“We are planning to capitalize the human development effort through fellowship program training in Ethiopia, that had been given abroad,” Dr. Menen confirmed. Thousands of fellow citizens are looking for the chance of Abiy, dreaming to see, attend what they choose on their own. We all have still the chance in hand to lend our hand for them, pledging to donate our cornea after we pass away.
The Ethiopian Herald, January 9/2019
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
