26/02/2025
SILENT DARKNESS: AN OPTOMETRIST'S PLEA FOR PREVENTIVE EYE CARE
In 2017, during one of my clinical attachments as an optometry student, I met a man whose words still resonate with me. He had been diagnosed with an incurable eye condition, and the weight of that reality was crushing him. As we discussed his condition, he shared sage advice: "Learn how to heal people spiritually, so when medicine fails, you have an alternative." I smiled, thanked him, and didn't think much of it then. However, his words came flooding back today when an elderly woman visited my clinic.
As I sat with this elderly woman, her desperation hung in the air like a thick fog. She had been recommended to my facility by someone who had received treatment here, and she clung to that hope like a lifeline. But as she shared her story, it became clear that she had been on a long, difficult journey, visiting multiple facilities and receiving countless medications, all to no avail. Her vision continued to slip away, leaving her with a sense of helplessness that was palpable. As I examined her eyes, her story and tears culminated in a heartbreaking diagnosis: advanced-stage glaucoma, with very little vision left. I felt a pang of sorrow, wishing I could turn back the clock, wishing I could heal her. "What do I tell granny?"I quizzed myself. For the first time, I struggled to find the right words to comfort her. The man's advice came flooding back. It is my fervent prayer that God heals and restores her sight.
This experience is a stark reminder that there are severe eye conditions, like glaucoma, that can sneak up on us, silently robbing us of our sight. It's a wake-up call to prioritize our eye health, to seek regular checkups, at least once a year, and to seize every opportunity for free eye screenings in our communities, churches, and local organizations. Don't assume you are fine just because you don't notice any problems. Timely detection and intervention can make all the difference.
Shalom!
©️ Hayford Kwame Adaboh , OD