KABUL (SW) – There has been a distressing rise in the number of people suffering from vision disorders and allergic eye diseases, ophthalmologists told Salam Watandar.
Ophthalmologists at the Noor Eye Hospital in Kabul said more than 16,000 people visit the different departments of this hospital every month.
Ziauddin Hamed, an ophthalmologists at the hospital, says that nearly 40 patients with severe vision disorders are operated on in this hospital every day. He adds: “The issues of the cornea or chronic issues have higher figures. We admit 40 patients, 35 patients are here due to cornea issues and another 5% have cataracts disease. The number of visitors has increased. There are more patients in the allergic and the surgery departments.”
Mr. Hamed adds that among the 800 patients who come daily, 15% have Corneal disease, 15% have vision issues and 60% have allergic diseases.
Mohammad Zarif, the person in charge of the appointment distribution department at Noor Hospital, also says that the number of patients with vision and allergic eye disorders has increased by 50% compared to the past. “About 550 visitors come only in this department and others come in different departments. Visitors have increased by 50%. In the past, we had 400 visitors a day, but now there are 700 patients, which is 16,000 patients per month.”
The most common types of vision disorders include refractive errors or myopia and hyperopia, eye aging, cataracts, color blindness, dry eye syndrome, and watery eyes.
A number of patients who have come to this hospital for treatment say that their eyes have vision problems due to various reasons.
Sanadgul, a resident of Khost who came to Kabul for treatment, says that his vision has been impaired for several months. “I had surgery on one eye in Khost, but the vision was not very good. Now my other eye also corneal issue; Doctors say that it should be operated on.”
Azizullah, a resident of Kabul, says: “It’s been two months since my eyes went blind. I can only imagine what I see, but it is still not visible to me.”
Doctors say that contracting diseases, not taking care of the eyes and improper nutrition are the main causes of vision disorders. Air pollution, using a number of medicines and being in polluted environments are also the causes of allergic eye diseases.
