By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Prof Dr Sabihuddin Ahmed, head of the cataract department at Al-Shifa Trust (AST) Eye Hospital, said cataracts were becoming a concern in Pakistan due to uncontrolled diabetes and poor access by the majority of the public to preventive health-care.Pakistani cuisine recipes
Talking to media persons, he said that previously, the treatment was delayed until the problem matured, but new findings suggest that it should now be treated without any delay.
“Many do not take the problem seriously, even though, if not treated properly, it could lead to blindness,” he warned.
Dr Sabihuddin said that apart from diabetes, factors like ageing, lack of awareness, malnutrition, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays, genetic issues, and late diagnosis were also playing their role in increasing the problem.
He added that many individuals delay treatment due to financial constraints or fear of surgery, allowing the cataract to progress to an advanced stage, resulting in complications.
“The treatment for cataracts is simple: It takes 10 to 20 minutes to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial one; however, many people, especially in rural areas, lack access to ophthalmologists and modern surgical facilities,” he said.
Dr Sabihuddin noted that government hospitals and charity organisations were crucial in providing free or low-cost cataract surgeries, but long waiting lists and insufficient resources remain challenging.
“We are conducting 70 to 80 operations per day at the Al-Shifa Rawalpindi facility free of any cost,” he informed, adding that 80 per cent of all the surgeries and treatment in hospitals run by AST, were free of cost, including facilities in Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Kohat, Muzaffarabad, Sukkar, and Gilgit.
He underlined that raising awareness about early diagnosis, regular eye check-ups, wearing UV-protective sunglasses, managing diabetes, and a healthy diet rich in antioxidants can help reduce the risk of cataracts.
“We need a collaborative effort between health-care professionals, policy-makers, and non-governmental organisations to ensure timely treatment and prevent avoidable blindness,” he stressed.
