Free eye testing at Georgetown Hospital

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation will be offering free eye testing at its Eye Clinic on October 11, 2018 in observation of World Sight Day.

Patients will have free access to the clinic from 8:30am to 1:30pm to test for glaucoma, cataract, refractive errors, diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases.

A team of nurses will also be conducting group educational sessions with patients to spread awareness about eye health and eye care, the Ministry of Public Health noted in a statement.

The Diabetic Retinopathy Centre will also be available for walk-in screening on that day. The Diabetic Eye Centre is supported by the World Diabetes Foundation through a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Public Health, Orbis International and University of Toronto Banting and Best Diabetes Centre.

The programme allows persons with diabetes under go free screening tests to detect early diabetic eye disease (diabetic retinopathy) before it proceeds to cause permanent blindness.

The Screening on World Sight Day will be done by the Staff of the Department of Ophthalmology including Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, doctors and nurses of the GPHC Eye Clinic. Screening will also be done at the Vision Centre, located in the GPHC Compound.

World Sight Day is an international day of awareness to focus attention on the global issue of avoidable blindness and visual impartment.

This year, the theme is ‘Eyecare Everywhere’ – a call to nations to ensure that everyone has access to affordable eye care.