Seeing made easy

The UP-PGH Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (UP-PGH DOVS) celebrates its 50th founding anniversary this month with a series of activities. One is called 50@50, or free eye operation for 50 indigent patients in the institution’s 50th year of existence. Another is the giving of lectures by foreign-based alumni before all practicing ophthalmologists on the latest trends in ophthalmology at a symposium during the annual PAO convention on Dec. 1. The celebration is capped by a grand alumni homecoming and fellowship night on Dec. 3 at Hotel Sofitel Manila.

 The UP-PGH DOVS has its roots a hundred years ago. It was first established in May 1911 as the Department of Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat (EENT) of the PGH. On Nov. 9, 1961, the UP Board of Regents approved the creation of the Department of Ophthalmology, thus separating it from the ENT department. The new department introduced a formal ophthalmology residency training program and subsequently subspecialty services, namely plastic-lacrimal, cornea, glaucoma, uveitis, motility, neuro-ophthalmology, retina, and orbit. In the 1990s the department came to be known as the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences “to embody a holistic and integrative approach to ophthalmologic care.”

More ophthalmologic breakthroughs were made during the terms of department heads, considered “visionary” leaders. It was during the term of Dr. Manuel Agulto that the Sentro Oftalmologico Jose Rizal (SOJR), a fully equipped eye center, was built with a generous grant from the Spanish government through the Agencia Espanola de Cooperation International AEDI. AEDI also purchased SOJR’s equipment.

 A modern-designed building, SOJR has the latest in diagnostic surgical equipment, making it one of the best eye centers in the world. Today its management is in the hands of chairperson Dr. Pearl Tamesis-Villalon. Since its creation, DOVS has continuously been a trailblazer in ophthalmologic training, research and development nationwide.

Envisioned to serve the needs of indigent patients, SOJR also accepts paying patients whose payments help in the maintenance of equipment and other services. Hordes of patients wait at the lobby, and on account of their number, 250 are seen daily by eye specialists and consultants.

The huge number of cases at SOJR is a fraction of the half a million people who are blind, and many more who are visually impaired — statistics coming from the second National Survey of Blindness. The survey says perhaps up to 100 children lose their sight every week in the Philippines. Almost half of these cases are either treatable or preventable. Poor nutrition, measles and premature birth are among the leading causes of preventable blindness in children. Early detection and treatment are the keys to saving the sight of these children.

Indigent patients still have to pay for surgical expenses and medicines. PGH has a number of pay wards, the income from which goes to support the maintenance of charity wards.

The visiting DOVS alumni will find a new development within the PGH compound which serves the needs of patients and doctors. This is the establishment of the University Physicians Medical Center (UPMC), which is housed at the UP-PGH Faculty Medical Arts Building (FMAB) at the entrance of the PGH compound. The first public-private partnership in health, UPMC is managed as a private business enterprise by the Daniel Mercado Medical Center (DMMC), provides clinic space for 300 doctors of different specialties, and offers ambulatory surgical center, cardiovascular, industrial and occupational health, intravenous therapy, laboratory and drug testing, a pharmacy, radiology and nuclear medicine, physical rehabilitation and sports medicines. All the doctors are graduates of the UP College of Medicine.

The fees for surgical and other services and doctors’ fees are comparatively lower than those charged by doctors in other medical centers. This is on account of the UPMC’s being an outpatient care facility. Outpatient care is becoming the fastest growing trend in healthcare delivery. With the development in surgical procedures, there is no need for patients’ confinement. The result is lower cost for patients.

On the doctors’ side, their charges are minimal since they share surgical facilities and clinic space and practice the referral system. They pay rent for use of clinic space. From the doctors’ space rent and use of facilities, UPMC donates P1-million to UP-PGH for use in its charity wards.

Involved in DOVS’ 50th anniversary celebration are two ophthalmologists I struck up an acquaintance with when I brought a patient for cataract replacement at the UPMC — Dr. Rainier Victor A. Covar, who is chair of the anniversary socials committee, and Dr. Jose V. Tecson, full-time administrator and in charge of looking for finance for the DOVS celebration.

While my friend was resting from his cataract replacement — the actual procedure took 15 minutes with the use of a special machine — Dr. Covar, a glaucoma specialist who does a lot of cataract surgery, gave me a rundown on the blindness situation in the country. 

He cited the most common causes of blindness as cataract, errors of refraction, glaucoma, and maculpathy and retinopathy. If detected early, cataract is easy to treat with modern surgical procedures that take only from 10 to 15 minutes, without need for sutures and injections. The old type surgery took from 45 minutes to one hour.

The second cause of blindness is error in refraction. This refers to patients with “unconnected vision.” They need glasses, but cannot afford them, a system that speaks poorly of the health situation in the country, said Dr. Covar. This is devastating in children whose eyesight degenerates progressively, and causes them to become completely blind. Early detection and treatment of this condition can help prevent blindness.

Glaucoma is a dreaded irreversible disease, occurring mostly in adults, and may occur in children, but blindness may be prevented if glaucoma is detected and treated very early. The two other common causes are diabetes retinopathy (diabetes in the retina) and macular degeneration which leads to blurring of the vision.

Dr. Covar said blindness may be helped if one is aware of one’s eye condition and goes to the doctor for regular check-up. He said something what we’ve been told since we were children, but haven’t really done so — eating green, leafy vegetables with Vitamin A, such as carrots and squash.

At this point, Dr. Tecson, a clinical associate professor at the UP College of Medicine like Dr. Covar, came into the room and brought up my cousin, who had been complaining of blurry vision for some time, and who was now smiling, and in a matter of hours, saying he can see things clearly, he can drive and read without the use of eyeglasses. Dr. Tecson said, “He had cataract. Yes, there’s a growing number of cataract these days. Cataract is the most common cause of unilateral blindness. But we operate, and we can restore one’s vision.”

You and I will agree that eye doctors are well-loved, for they make seeing easy.

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 Against All Odds, a compilation of stories “focused on blessings in disguise,” will be launched at the Manila Polo Club on Saturday, November 26. The fourth edition of the Coincidence or Miracle series, the handy volume is a project of the aunt-nephew tandem of Flor Gozon Tarriela and Butch Jimenez, is edited by Mia Lauchengco, and published by Conquest for Christ Foundation The vignettes are about people who overcame seemingly overwhelming odds, by the grace of God. Writers include big shots in business, pastors, celebrities and housewives, among them Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, Jaime Bautista, Greg Navarro, Lito Pedrosa, Manny Pacquiao, Max Edralin Jr., Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, Leah Salonga, and many others.

The compilation will make a nice Christmas present.

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My e-mail:[email protected].