A local doctor has delivered early Christmas gifts to 25 cataract patients, giving them free surgeries and better sight.
The surgeries, with a total value of $250,000, were all done yesterday by Dr Ronnie Bhola, 48, director and consultant ophthalmologist at the Caribbean Vitreous & Retina Surgery Limited (CVRS Ltd).
Bhola is a British-trained eye consultant with sub-specialty training in vitreous and retina surgery and is currently an associate lecturer with the University of the West Indies and an adjunct professor with the Moran Eye Institute.
This year's group joined patients who benefitted from his seasonal charity endeavour from far back as 2013, bringing the total over the years to 200 patients and an estimated $2 million worth of free surgeries, he told the T&T Guardian yesterday.
Asked what made him venture into this type of charity every December for the past four years, Bhola said, "Compassion and empathy."
He said in T&T, patients requiring surgery are often faced with challenges such as long waiting time, high costs and poor quality service.
"December is the month of Christmas, a time of giving and perpetual hope. It is the perfect time to start thinking about helping those persons in need," Bhola said.
"I have seen, and continue to see a number of persons struggling with everyday life, disabled to live independently because of visual impairments. Most cannot afford to pay for surgery which they need - it is tremendously disheartening.
"I believe that our Gift of Sight endeavour gives patients a sense of equality as they regain both sight and confidence."
Helping Bhola along yesterday were the entire CVRS team, fellow colleagues and the personnel at Good Health Medical Centre, Woodbrook, where the surgeries were performed. Generous sponsors also ensure the entire exercise is funded.
In order to be selected, patients needed to be examined and referred by an ophthalmologist for surgery.
Patients who made it onto Bhola's list were mostly those with bilateral cataracts who were struggling with day-to-day activities because they could not afford to do surgery and those patients who had been on a hospital waiting list for a long time.
"Once these patients that are targeted for this charity undertaking have been added to the list, they then have to get measurements for the intraocular lens implant and then they are prepared for surgery," Bhola explained.
"After surgery patients are generally overjoyed that their sight has been restored. Their beaming smiles, tears of joy and heartfelt gratitude cannot be hidden. When a patient who previously needed support to walk into the office has had surgery and can now be independent–that is a feeling like no other, tremendously rewarding."
Bhola said he would like to see more doctors going into this type of charity in T&T, as it is a "great way of giving back to society."
Over 1000 cataract operations, 500 vitrectomy surgeries and over 3000 minor surgeries with world-class results have been performed at CVRS, which is likely the largest retinal surgical practice in the Caribbean, he said.
"As far as we know, we are the only surgical company with the set up of a vitreo-retinal intervention to handle all surgical complications of cataract surgery, at the time of every cataract operation performed," Bhola said.
"This gives each patient the assurance that should any complication of cataract surgery arise, this problem will be dealt with immediately in a manner that is recognised and accepted worldwide.
"This is unique and exceptional and is the reason why our cataract surgery outcome is one of the best in the world, giving us world-class ranking."
Bhola, who grew up in Fyzabad, attended the University of the West Indies Jamaica (1993-MBBS), Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (1999-FRCS), University of Sheffield (2006-Dip Ed) and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists London (2007-CCT).