THOUSANDS of people in Yangon and nearby townships received free eye treatment from a team of volunteer eye specialists at Dhammaduta Zetawun forest monastery from August 3 to 8.

The sakkhudipa alhudaw (free eye care) was organised by the abbot of the monastery, the Venerable Chekinda, and his disciples to provide the service to monks, nuns and the poor.

It was the second time free eye care was provided at the monastery, which is located about 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Yangon. Free eye care was also provided there last year.

“I’m organising this event because I’m keen on social welfare,” the Venerable Chekinda said. “Only when you’ve participated in social work will you appreciate the personal satisfaction and you can’t help doing it again.”

During each of the six days of treatment, eye specialists from Yangon saw patients in four sessions of 100 patients each, for a total of 400 patients a day.
“We don’t advertise or ask for any donations. The disciples of the Venerable Chekinda in each township organised and paid for all expenses for the patients,” one of the organisers said.

The expenses included transportation, meals and, for those who needed operations, arrangements to stay overnight, he said.

“Most patients who have come here have cataracts,” said Dr Mya Than, a volunteer doctor from the Universities Hospital on University Avenue Road.
“Second to cataracts is pterygium (benign growth of the membrane covering the white part of the eye). We refer these patients to Yangon Eye Hospital. As for those who have the worst conditions, we can’t give treatment; we just give them medicine to prevent infections,” she said.

She said according to her experience, more Myanmar women suffered from eye infections because many did not keep their cosmetics clean.

“For example, women put thanaka on their face but they don’t leave grinding stones and thanaka logs covered, from which they can get fungus infections,” Dr Mya Than said.

“And they rarely wash the cloths they use for putting powder on their faces. ... Other factors include working near stoves and, in the countryside, letting dust and chaff get into their eyes,” she said.

Dr Kan Nyunt, a retired eye specialist from Yangon Eye Hospital who was in charge of operations at the monastery during the event, said he was surprised to see how many Yangon residents had ripe cataracts.

“There were two causes: lack of health knowledge and money,” he said. “Hospitals charge about K30,000 to treat cataracts.”