Eye care for farmers
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Contact: Claudia Monlouis
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 – Farmers of St. Lucia will benefit from a community outreach vision programme that the St. Lucia Blind Welfare Association is soon to implement as part of Blindness Awareness Month of Activities.
Project and Resource Mobilization Officer of the SLBWA Debra Pamphile McLean, says the association wants to target workers who may not readily come forward for eye health examinations.
“We are focussing on doing eye examinations for farmers. We are looking to centre that activity in the southern area. We are focusing on people who would not necessarily get up and go to the eye doctor, so we're trying to bring the doctor to them.”
The association will undertake the community visits along with its team of eye care professionals.
“The farmers would need to listen for the notice on the air. We are working with the Agriculture Southern Division, trying to mobilize the farmers to get them into one place. We will be there from about 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.. The notices will be out as to where we will be and what day,” Mc Lean said.
Meantime, by way of promoting the preservation of vision for this month's observance of Blindness Awareness Month, the St. Lucia Blind Welfare Association is highlighting the importance of visual aids as a means of saving vision.
McLean says this message is particularly important for persons who already suffer from diminishing eyesight.
“If you are low in vision or or visually impaired, there are aids that are available that people could use to make use of whatever vision they have left.”
She said most low vision aids are inexpensive and are accessible. Persons with low vision should strive to utilize those items.
“Some of the things are quite simple. Magnifiers are some of the things you could use to help make better use of your vision. Also using things with contrast, black and white things that will allow you to see differently, see clearer, making prints bigger. These are some of the little practices that can go a long way in helping people see better.”
May is observed every year as blindness awareness month. The theme for this year is “ Making everyday a healthy vision day”. |
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