Ophthalmologists to conduct symposium
Ophthalmologists to conduct symposium
JAKARTA (JP): About 250 eye specialists from all over
Indonesia are due to assemble here tomorrow for a two-day
symposium on eye micro-surgery.
Three experts from Australia and the United States will
address the event, focusing on sophisticated techniques for
dealing with complications in cataract surgery.
Ian J. Constable and John Elder, both from Australia, and
Richard G. Livernois from the U.S. will also give a "hands-on"
course on cataract surgery using a technique called "phaco-
emulsification" on Sunday.
The symposium and course are part of a series of events to be
held by the Jakarta Eye Center hospital this month in conjunction
with its eleventh anniversary.
Cataracts, or the cloudiness of the eye lens, is the main
cause of the blindness suffered by 2.4 percent of the Indonesian
population of 192 million, according to Sjakon Tahija of the
center.
Eye Center Director Darwan M. Purba told a press conference on
Tuesday that the hospital would also provide free treatment for
50 cataract sufferers on March 25. The patients will be chosen
from among low-income patients in Jakarta's health clinics
(Puskesmas).
The cost of cataract surgery in private hospitals ranges from
Rp 1.4 million to Rp 4 million.
The center will also hold a public lecture on cosmetic eye
surgery, presenting as speakers doctors Darmayanti, Hadisudjono
Sastrosatomo, Retno Trenggono and popular model Dhanny Dahlan
Purba.
A 1989 survey by the Ministry of Health showed that around 50
percent of Indonesia's population suffered from eye problems at
that time.
Cataracts are highly prevalent in Indonesia, especially among
poor people. Purba said people who are exposed to high doses of
ultra-violet rays, like farmers working long hours under the sun,
are especially vulnerable to the condition.
Facilities for sufferers are far from adequate, however, and
only about 10 percent of the total number of cataract sufferers
have access to medical treatment.
"Some 1.3 million people suffering from the condition are out
of reach of the existing health system," Purba said. (swe)