Tema, July 16, GNA - A team of eye experts from Vision Care Service, USA, and Vision Care Korea, are expected in Ghana this weekend to conduct free eye care service.

Dubbed: 9392 Vision Eye Care Camp", the members of the medical team would pitch camp at the Tema General Hospital from July 18th to 24th and treat people with visual and sight impairments.

Mr Ilse Choi, Technical Director of Agnespak Fisheries Limited, announced the programme, in an interview conducted on his behalf by Mr John Farmer, Managing Director of the company with the Ghana News Agency on Friday.

He said the team of eye care specialists from Vision Care last year conducted a similar exercise at the same venue and were able to treat 129 patients through cataract and other eye surgeries. Mr Choi said his company and other companies were throwing their weight behind the exercise because it was a worthy cause.

"Last year, with the co-operation and support from Tema General Hospital and ophthalmologists in Ghana, the Vision Care team from the US and Korea was able to treat 129 patients through cataract and other surgeries. This year they are going back to the Tema General Hospital to conduct the Vision Care Eye Camp.

"Similar to last year, the aim of the camp would be ophthalmic medical examination and cataract surgery."

Mr Choi said about 500 adult patients and about 100 surgeries would be attended to by the team.

The team is made up of three ophthalmologists, three nurses, one optometrist and 13 other medical personnel. General volunteers would be part of the team.

Mr Choi urged people with sight problems to take advantage of the camp and had their vision checked.

He stressed regular eye check-ups to detect any eye problem early for medical attention.

According to a brochure made available to the GNA, one person becomes blind every five seconds somewhere in the world; while in every 60 seconds;one child becomes blind somewhere in the world.

The brochure said that globally 180 million people are unable to see properly due to severe vision problems. Of these 45 million people are blind; 50 per cent of such blindness is caused by cataracts, but 80 percent can be avoided through treatment and preventative care.