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Category Archives: Blindness

Her smile says it all

We visited the villages near Lilongwe (well, around 2 hours drive from Nkhoma) to pick up patients who had been screened by John Kapakasa, our cataract case-finder. He’s had a busy week on his motorbike, driving around ten villages in the rural district around the capital.  The ambulance brought back 12 patients, 10 of whom were [...]
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The impact of 10 million, and the power of one

We have just passed the end of June, and the cool and dryness of winter is here.  Most of the people in central Malawi have harvested good crops this year, and are free to head to the market, spend time with their families and enjoy this time of prosperity. In fact this is our busiest time [...]
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World Glaucoma Day, and week!

Together with the rest of the world, Nkhoma celebrated World Glaucoma Day last Friday. Glaucoma is the second main cause of global blindness, after cataract.  It is a condition that slowly affects the optic nerve at the back of the eye, and is often associated with high pressure in the eye.  Untreated, the high pressure destroys [...]
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Screening at the lakeshore

And so we start the year.. We have done our first few cataract operations.  I also saw a 12 year old boy who had a penetrating  pen injury to his eye.  Managed to sort it out in theatre. Steve and Kambewa are driving 200 miles to Mangotchi and Machinga, near the lakeshore, tomorrow to meet the district [...]
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The New Year

I have gathered strength from family and friends over the festive season, and am ready for the new year.  It’s not going to be easy.  We have much less funds, and I totally understand.  With the past two year’s international financial crisis, we all perhaps have less to give; and this ultimately boils down to [...]
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