Ram's consultation - Orbis Flying Eye Hospital

ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital
(A voluntary organization dedicated to the attention and treatment of visually impaired patients around the world and especially to the third-world countries. Visit their website: www.orbis.org for more details.

The ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital, the only one of its kind in the world, arrived in Malaysia on Monday, November 22nd 2004. They were on a skills-exchange programme and were in Malaysia for two weeks at the invitation of the Ministry of Health and the Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital (THONEH) and their presence was sponsored by PETRONAS. Built inside a converted DC10, the ORBIS hospital is dedicated to cure preventable blindness by flying to where the services of its volunteer eye doctors are needed most.
Their Mission : ORBIS is dedicated to the prevention of blindness ... the saving of sight ... the delivery of training ... the transfer of skills... and the creation of a world where quality eye care, education and treatment are available to every human being.
ORBIS Mission Statement: ORBIS is a non-aligned, non-profit global development organization. Our mission is to preserve and restore sight by strengthening the capacity of local partners to prevent and treat blindness.

Ram was fortunate to have her cornea operation and recovery status reviewed by the above group of doctors at the Tun Hussein Onn Hospital on Monday, November 29th 2004. The team, led by a Dr. Jonathan Cheung, an American Chinese, reviewed various cases, especially rare ones, which were ongoing in the hospital, to lend and accord expert opinion and advice.

Dr. Cheung commented that Ram’s right eye was recovering very well. Removal of the remaining sutures should be possible then. There was however an impending problem of astigmatism to be addressed. He suggested use of laser or contacts, but left it for Ram and her Doctor at the hospital to decide on the course of action. In any case the cornea graft was a success and Ram was on her way to full recovery. She should be able to perform her daily routines normally now. This was indeed reassuring. We were very happy with the findings.

Subsequently part of the sutures on the circumference of the cornea was removed on December 13th 2004 and the rest would be removed in the next few months, after which the astigmatism problem will be addressed accordingly.

However all these changed later, quite dramatically, due to an oversight on our part. Ram almost went blind on the new cornea due to an infection. The details of which will follow later.

MKI Ramblings Unlimited
Petaling Jaya.