The clinics are up and running and the group is beginning to find our flow here in Guayaquil. Thanks to our preliminary work yesterday, we were able to perform 24 cataract surgeries today and are looking forward to seeing our first group of post-ops tomorrow. This is the most exciting part of cataract surgery – when you remove the bandage and see as their faces light-up in response to the clarity that has replaced their once cloudy lens.
Though we haven’t yet gotten to see the effects of our surgical efforts, our optometrist and optometry student have worked tirelessly the past two days to provide our patients with the appropriate glasses. Despite the tremendous need for cataract surgery here, an overwhelming majority of our patients who come complaining of vision problems can be corrected simply with lenses. Just another example of something simple that we at home take for granted, that the patients here sometimes simply do not have access to.
Today, as I attempted to help out in the optometry room by passing out reading glasses to those who needed, my favorite part was hearing the patients’ reactions as they tried on their frames. As I slid glasses onto Isabela, a 46 year old who was just beginning to have trouble reading, I showed her a reading card and asked her how things looked.
“Clarito!” She exclaimed, but then paused as she looked down the other side of the table, “but how about those red ones over there? I like those more.”
I explained that those were a little too strong for herand she wouldn’t be able to read as well with them.
“That’s okay,” she responded.
I laughed and was eventually able to dig up a “nicer looking” pair that were the appropriate strength for her. I’m happy that we could help her, while accommodating her sophisticated sense of style.
