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Across The Fence Mission Cataract provides gift A miracle occurred in my life this weekend, and it happened almost in the blink of an eye.
Thanks to skillful and dedicated surgeons and more than 120 health care professionals and volunteers, I was one of 75 people who regained part of their vision with the help of Mission Cataract. Cataracts stealthily steal a person's vision away over time. Their growth is so secretive and subtle that you might not even realize what's happening until one has taken up residence in your eye. Technically, cataracts are changes in clarity of the natural lens inside the eye. The natural lens sits behind the colored part of the eye (iris) in the area of the pupil, and cannot be directly seen with the naked eye unless it becomes extremely cloudy. The lens plays a crucial role in focusing unimpeded light on the retina at the back of the eye. The retina transforms light to a neurological signal that the brain interprets as vision. Significant cataracts block and distort light passing through the lens, causing visual symptoms and problems. In the worst cases, they cause blindness. My optometrist informed me about five years ago that cataracts were "cooking" in both eyes. He said we'd watch them, and I never saw the news as a real threat to my vision. Then about a year ago I noticed a bit of a haze or fog in front of my left eye. After a couple of blinks and a refocus, it seemed to go away. But over the past six months the problem escalated. I found myself keeping one eye closed when I was writing, driving, reading or working around the house. My depth perception began to fail. Driving at night became a terrifying experience as the fog distorted light and images. Unfortunately, when I changed directions in my life a little over a year ago, I lost all of my health benefits. And because I continue to work and earn wages, I'm caught in that frightening limbo-land of the uninsured. Health care decisions have to be made carefully and cautiously when you have limited income and two strapping, teenage dependents. Thankfully, the boys are covered, but I don't qualify for assistance, and health insurance premiums for a middle-aged, post-polio, diabetic female are astronomical. Choosing between health insurance for me or paying the bills and feeding the boys didn't take much thought. I knew something needed to be done to save my sight, but my hope for a positive solution was fading fast. Then I heard about Mission Cataract. The program actually began in Fresno, Calif., in 1991. Its goal is to provide free cataract surgery to people who have no means to pay. Panhandle Eye Group in Amarillo began participating in the national program in 1993. They continue the project here every other year, covering the expenses of cataract surgery for qualifying individuals. More than 150 individuals went through a screening process on May 3 to determine medical and financial need. Prospective patients came from as far away as Dallas, since Panhandle Eye Group was the only formal participant in the entire state of Texas. My familiarity with health care didn't limit the anxiety as we drove to the Amarillo Cataract & Eye Surgery Center on Saturday. But the warm greetings when we arrived eased my nervousness. In the Pre-Op area, I was banded, draped in a stylish hospital gown, and crowned with a beautiful blue head cover before being situated comfortably on a gurney. The entire process, including several rounds of eye drops and a check of my vital signs, was sprinkled liberally with smiles, jokes and words of encouragement from Panhandle Eye Group CEO Cindy Carpenter and a crew of volunteers. Monty, my anesthesiologist, stopped by for a chat and intravenously administered a dose of medicine that eliminated any lingering nervousness. In the surgical suite, the remaining preparations were completed in short order and then one of the most skilled eye surgeons in the region was at my side. He removed the cataract and inserted a new lens in less than 10 minutes, then with another word of encouragement he was on his way to the next patient. I was amazed by the speed and efficiency of the procedure and the absence of pain, but I was ecstatic over the miracle that had just occurred. Even looking through a plastic eye shield, my vision was clear. "We're passionate about doing this project," Carpenter told me. "Our doctors believe that mission work begins right here at home." My sincere appreciation goes out to the doctors at Panhandle Eye Group and the Amarillo Cataract & Eye Surgery Center, all of their staff and volunteers. Theirs was a labor of love and living testimony to the healing power of the Creator. Kathie Greer: Columnist and consultant for the Amarillo Independent. She can be reached at kathie@amarilloindy.com. E-mail
comments about this story Posted: May 22, 2008
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