35 laser surgeries, over 100 patients treated by visiting American ophthalmology team

More than 100 patients, who are diabetic and would have developed complications in the eye received treatment last week at the National Ophthalmology Hospital (NOH).
An American team, which included two ophthalmology specialists, completed a five-day visit to provide surgical care to patients, most of whom were diabetic with complications. The team included two retinologists and three surgeons.
During the five-day visit in the last week of April week, the team conducted 35 laser surgeries on the retina for patients with diabetic retinopathy.
Medical Director of the NOH, Dr. Vineshri Khirodhar said that Guyana has a large population of persons with diabetes and explained that many of them would experience blurred vision or experience difficulty seeing well and are unaware of the cause.

She said patients who have been diabetics for over 10 or 12 years may experience something called diabetic retinopathy.
“Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of high blood sugar for a long period and basically what this is bleeding at the back of the eye; bleeding of the retina. Hence, it is called diabetic retinopathy. Most of these patients in our access or care for this particular issue it is a bit difficult because we don’t have a lot of retinologists around.”
Medical Director of the National Ophthalmology Hospital also said to do 35 laser surgeries within the four days of surgical work was quite an achievement noting that one procedure would take between 45 to 50 minutes.
Apart from diabetic retinopathy surgeries, 40 cataract surgeries were also done by a member of the team.

“The team was here last year and they would have done approximately 100 cataract surgeries but we don’t have a lot of cataract patients now because we would have cleared out that long backlog of patients we had many years ago. The primary objective for this team was to provide retinal surgeries for us.”
The team’s visit was coordinated by Pastor Andy Girwarnauth of the Association of Bible Churches. It was the third consecutive year they have been visiting.
“Their success rate is excellent and so far we have not had any issues with patients. But like I said each patient has their own unique and individual complications. So, as you look at different patients, you have to provide different techniques for them; different laser techniques that is,” the medical director pointed out.
The team is expected to visit again next year to provide more assistance in the retinal department.
Meanwhile, a retina doctor was expected to take up an appointment at the National Ophthalmology Hospital and is expected to provide after care for the 35 patients.
“We have to follow them up next week and then after that within a month and then within two to three months. So it is not that we do lasering and we leave them and that’s it; we have to follow it up to make sure that 1: the technique is okay and it is doing what it has to do and 2: that they don’t develop new bleeding in different sites of the retina because that can happen too.”
New patients, Dr. Khirodhar said will be screened by the new retina doctor and then make a decision on whether they need laser surgery, vitrectomy surgery, or an injection into the retinal area of the eye.
“The injections are not for everybody. We have to carefully determine individually for patients whether they are candidates for Avastin injections or candidates for laser treatment.”
Apart from the 35 patients who received laser treatment to the retina, there were thirty patients who received Avastin intra-retina injections.
“The injections are specifically designed for patients that would have just started to show early signs of bleeding that doesn’t require lasering, that are more terminal. It is injected carefully under sterile conditions. It is not very painful because we would numb the eye so when the injection is given the patient doesn’t really feel anything,” the medical director further explained. (G4)