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Kattor re bhaaji TGF readers' bulletin board
Cataract is the most common cause of preventable blindness. Thanks to modern surgery this condition can now be cured without major risk. The latest techniques in detection as well as the most modern techniques in surgical management of cataract are available in Goa. There is a greater awareness about this condition in general population in Goa and we find that most people suffering from this condition go for early surgery rather than waiting for complications to develop. The same cannot be said about rest of our country. Illiteracy, lack of awareness, poverty and fear complex keep many persons with this preventable blindness away from surgical treatment. I this context the work of lions clubs in making people aware of this condition and actually helping people in getting the surgeries done is commendable. I congratulate the lions clubs in general and Lions club of Panjim in particular for the work they do in providing sight to so many.
What follows now is my encounters with cataract right from my childhood days till today. The experiences are not just as a doctor or a lion but as a lay person and a patient who has undergone cataract surgery recently. It will also give you an insight into how cataract surgery has evolved in Goa over a period of time from a technical point of view.
The first time I heard about this condition was when I was around 8 years of age. My grand mother who was unable to see properly went to a city doctor who had informed her that she has a condition called "Motibindu". Now my grand-mother was a respected lady in the village and was something like a leader. So on her return from the city several people came to visit her and she kept on telling everyone about her "Motibindu" with lot of masala in her story. By the end of the week practically everyone in the village was talking about the "Motibindu", and several other ladies suddenly appeared to be having Motibindu in their eyes also. After several visits to the doctor one fine day my grand-mother returned with the news that the cataract in her left eye was mature and needs an operation. Also that the nearest place where she could get this done was in Belgaum.
Now the year was 1960, almost One and half year before liberation of Goa. We were Portuguese citizens and Belgaum was in India, an alien country at that time. My grand mother had to undergo the ordeal of making a passport, obtain a visa, convert money in Indian currency, etc. She appeared to be enjoying all the adventures and the village ladies appeared to be ever willing to listen to her as she would narrate every bit of the new information she could provide on subjects as diverse as cataract and Indian currency. Well, I must admit, I too became a much informed person during this time.
One of my elder brothers studying in Pune at that time agreed to come down in the vacation and accompany her to Belgaum. With great fanfare our fair lady travelled via the Portuguese check post at Pollem in Canacona Taluka and entered India at Karwar and proceded to Belgaum to be operated by Dr. Koppikar, a Popular Ophthalmic surgeon of that time. She returned a fortnight later with great many stories of her operation and and the courage with which she withstood such a major assault on her.
The liberation of Goa on 19th December 1961 brought about lot of changes in Goa. The coming up of centres for SSC examination, Establishment of new colleges, upgrading of the Goa Medical college etc. were accompanied by the entry of the Lions clubs and practicing Ophthalmic surgeons in Goa. Credit is due to our own Lion Dr. Rajaram Rajadhyaksha for bringing up an eye surgery hospital in private. His name figured prominently in the eye-camps conducted by lions clubs in Goa. In 1965 it was my mothers turn to get operated for cataract. This was performed by Dr. Rajadhyaksha himself in Panaji.
1968 brought me in the medical college as a student and from here on my closer encounters with human eye and its problems began. It was in the final year of MBBS that I learnt the proper methods of examining eyes and also actually saw the first operation for cataract. Dr. D. P. Aggarwal was the professor who demonstrated the first case. This surgery was done with a regional anaesthetic block to the eye, followed by a carefully placed cut along the border of the cornea through which the surgeon skillfully introduced his instruments and catch the human lens which was turned white due to cataract formation. With a swift pull the lens was out. A piece of Iris was than cut out to make the pupil a little wider to allow better vision after the surgery. The corneal incision was than sutured.
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