SIBU: Members of the public who have eye problems such as cataract are advised to seek help as soon as possible from Sarawak Society for the Blind (SSB).
SSB Sibu Division branch chairman councillor Clarence Ting, in a speech at the society’s ‘Thank You’ dinner on Sunday in conjunction with its annual open day, said if one delays a check-up for their eye problem, they might end up losing their vision.
“If you know anyone with eye problems, get them to seek help from the blind centre as blindness does not only affect people from the rural area but the urban area as well,” he said.
Ting said the blind centre has an eye screening programme and provides special lenses to those with vision problems.
“The eye clinic at Sibu Hospital has requested for our help to supply the lenses as their budget was insufficient,” he said.
“Among three eye clinics that the society planned to set up, one has successfully operated this year,” he added.
Ting said at the first clinic, 130 people were found to have high blood sugar which was beginning to affect their vision. It also came upon many young people who are having poor vision due to their affluent lifestyle.
“If these people are careless with their eyes, they will go blind. Our responsibility is to advise them to take good care of their eyes otherwise they will be needing help from the society,” he said.
A total of RM167,000 were raised from a food sale during the society’s open house for supporting visually impaired persons in the central region.
“We only have five people staying in the centre. Most are living outside and will come to the centre once in a while to learn living skills. Some are doing massages while others are on their own,” Ting continued.
He added that in the central region, there are 400 visually impaired persons that the centre had to spend greatly on to provide food parcel for them.
“They will get provisions from sundry shops and will claim their money from the centre later. This is the centre’s major expense. It will continue to help and serve the blind whenever they are in need of assistance,” he pointed out.
The paramount Chinese community leader here, Temenggong Vincent Lau said the society receives a small annual grant from the government.
“The remaining funds are raised through public donations and fund-raising projects in the form of an annual open house or sale of stickers during the White Cane Day celebration,” he said.
