The Ministry of Health is planning to carry out at least 1,000 cataract surgery on patients during an exercise slated to take place from October 13 to November 30.

Cataracts are caused by a build-up of protein that clouds the eye’s lens, which can lead to blurred vision and eventual blindness.

This was announced on Thursday, October 13, during an event to celebrate World Sight Day, which was held under the theme; "Love Your Eyes” and took place at Masaka hospital.

In an interview with The New Times, the head of the association of ophthalmologists Francis Mutangana, said that eye diseases topped five ailments for which people come for treatment at hospitals for the past five years. The common eye diseases, he said include short, long sightedness and cataracts, with the latter being the most dominant.

Mutangana said that cataracts get in the eye and causes it to lose sight, adding that the disease is common among people of advanced age and young people with diabetes, among others.

"Globally cataracts are responsible for a big percentage of blindness but with the best surgery, you can have your eyesight again. It is not advisable to use traditional medicine since this causes more eye infections,” he said.

He added that a study conducted recently shows that one per cent of people above 50 years have cataracts. The celebrations featured a sensitization drive aimed at encouraging people to go for eye check-ups at least once every year.

"Locally, we have 20 specialists in ophthalmologists including foreigners which means hospitals all over the country can’t afford to have a specialist and that’s why we have to go to different hospitals to offer such services,” he said

However, Joel Bahoza, the head of specialised health services and traditional medicine at the Ministry of health said that the ministry under the Human Resource for Health programme, is training more doctors in the eye specialization to plug the gaps.

Reacting to the forthcoming mobile clinic, Bahoza said that the ministry has purchased equipment to facilitate doctors during cataract surgeries.