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Focusing on eye care awareness
Xoliswa Zulu
2005-10-14

Eye tests were crucial for the early detection of problems, the Health Professions Council of South Africa said at the beginning of National Eye Care Awareness Week this week.

National Eye Care Awareness Week aims to create public awareness of basic eye care, common eye diseases, how they can be detected and the options available for those who cannot afford eye care.

The major eye diseases prevalent in South Africa are cataracts and glaucoma, and those caused by diabetes. Undetected visual problems had a negative effect on a person's performance at school, work or at home, the council said.

Former policeman Marc Davis, 43, lost his eyesight 19 years ago in a shooting accident. Two weeks after being discharged from hospital he went waterskiing.

Davis said he had coped well with his blindness, which had changed his attitude towards life. His parents had been more shocked than he had been. It had taken them time to accept he would never be able to see again.

"My father thought he would have to support me for the rest of his life."

Afraid that Davis would hurt himself, his father banned him from the workshop, the tool shed and even the kitchen. Davis responded by moving out.

"I got a bachelor flat, did my own cooking and cleaning. When my dad saw I could do everything, he had a change of attitude."

Today Davis has a degree in business administration and works as a fundraiser for the KwaZulu-Natal Society for the Blind.

"I'm here to prove there is life after dark. Don't give up on life. And don't be shy to ask for help when you need it," he said.

He urged people to take care of their eyes. "Don't abuse them. Look after them and wear sunglasses in bright light. Your eyes are the hardest working part of your body, so protect them."

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