SSVRS-8894
Eye surgeons Maurice Oduor (right) and Elema Dambala (left) operate on Asunta Lodogari, an elederly Samburu woman in northern Kenya, who lost sight in both eyes as a result of Trachoma, 26 Nov 2013. The excrutiatingly painful condition, which is both preventable and curable if treated early enough, causes sufferer's eyelids to grow inwards and scratch against their corneas, eventually turning it cloudy. It is particularly prevalent among poor pastoralist communities, like the Samburu, where access to water is scarce, making it difficult to maintain basic levels of facial hygiene. The lead surgeon, Mr Oduor, who works for the UK-based charity Sightsavers, was mid-way through a three week outreach programme which involved visiting 15 remote communities, where Trachoma is endemic. The operations, which involve turning the eyelieds back out, take 15-30 minutes, and alleviate the pain and prevent any further damage to the cornea. He said Ms Lodogari's eyes were already too damaged and she would never see again. The operation was simply to alleviate her pain.
SSVRS-8894
Eye surgeons Maurice Oduor (right) and Elema Dambala (left) operate on Asunta Lodogari, an elederly Samburu woman in northern Kenya, who lost sight in both eyes as a result of Trachoma, 26 Nov 2013. The excrutiatingly painful condition, which is both preventable and curable if treated early enough, causes sufferer's eyelids to grow inwards and scratch against their corneas, eventually turning it cloudy. It is particularly prevalent among poor pastoralist communities, like the Samburu, where access to water is scarce, making it difficult to maintain basic levels of facial hygiene. The lead surgeon, Mr Oduor, who works for the UK-based charity Sightsavers, was mid-way through a three week outreach programme which involved visiting 15 remote communities, where Trachoma is endemic. The operations, which involve turning the eyelieds back out, take 15-30 minutes, and alleviate the pain and prevent any further damage to the cornea. He said Ms Lodogari's eyes were already too damaged and she would never see again. The operation was simply to alleviate her pain.