The Right to Sight!

Are you worried about the condition of your eyes? Ever had the fear that you may one day go blind? Well you can rest your fears by taking advantage of the free eye checks and treatments being offered by VISTA Eye Specialist (VISTA) via their joint community service project with the Rotary Club of Damansara-West (RCDW).

(From left) Mr Yim Ken Fei (Project Organising Chair, the Rotary Club of Damansara-West), Mr Lim Boon Siong (CEO of VISTA Eye Specialist), YM Engku Mohd Fauzan (CIMB Bank Regional Director), Mr. Lim Kok Beng (District Governor, Rotary International District 3300), Mr Stevens Chan (Founder of Malaysia Glaucoma Society), Ms. Rassa Ramli (President, Rotary Club of Damansara-West) and Ms. S.S. Patricia (Managing Director of Pat-Lin Communications)

The 6-month long Rotary & Vista for the Right to Sight campaign was launched recently at CIMB Starhill Gallery branch in Kuala Lumpur. The campaign is being funded by CIMB Foundation and partnered by Pat-Lin Communications and the Malaysia Glaucoma Society.

The campaign aims to provide free eye screening, awareness and treatment for the top three causes of preventable blindness – Cataract, Glaucoma and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

In the spirit of giving back to the community, this latest health awareness campaign from RCDW and VISTA continues the fight towards eliminating blindness that is preventable, and encouraging the sustainability of breadwinners and their source of revenue to support their families.

Speaking at the official launch, Mr. Yim Ken Fei, Project Organising Chair, of Rotary Club Damansara-West said, “We are very pleased to team up with VISTA in fighting against the top three causes of preventable blindness.

Leveraging on VISTA’s expertise, we aim to assist people affected by cataract, glaucoma or AMD and remind everyone that we must all take responsibility for our own health.”

Ken Fei also said that applications for the treatments are open to those from lower-income and underpriviledged backgrounds. Members of the public are also welcome to participate in the community service project by nominating anyone who may be suitable for treatment under RCDW’s selection criteria.

Joining hands against preventable blindness - Mr Yim Ken Fei (Project Organising Chair of Rotary Damansara-West) & Mr Lim Boon Siong (CEO of VISTA Eye Specialist)

VISTA’s CEO, Lim Boon Siong said, “In line with VISTA’s commitment to community welfare, we are truly honoured to join arms with Rotary Club Damansara-West in creating and sustaining awareness of blindness that is preventable and thus unnecessary. Backed by our years of experience as an eye specialist, we have come to realise that unfortunately, many are still unaware that regular comprehensive eye check-ups are as important as overall health screenings. By emphasising the importance of regular screening, early diagnosis and prompt treatment in preventing vision loss, we hope to help people help themselves.

He also announced that on top of the free eye screenings for at least 5,000 people, we will also sponsor treatment for 300 eyes: 100 cataract surgeries, 100 glaucoma treatments, and 100 AMD treatments,” added Boon Siong.

Members of the public will have their eyes checked with the Cataract Screener for the screening of Cataract and the Non-contact Tonometer (NCT) for the detection of Glaucoma. The NCT takes the Intraocular pressure (IOP) in the eye to screen if one has Glaucoma or is at risk for Glaucoma whilst the Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) machine detects AMD, diabetic macular oedema and other diseases by taking cross-sectional images of the retina.

Boon Siong further added that there are many who still do not have access to quality eye care, and the campaign hopes to reach out to the wider community by bringing eye screenings to those who might need them more than others.

“Most eye diseases do not reveal symptoms in the early stages, and at the end of the day, everyone regardless of age or physical health can be afflicted. Therefore, Malaysians of all ages must learn to integrate eye health as an integral part of their overall healthcare, because vision loss can be prevented if eye diseases are detected and treated early,” he said.

VISTA is headquartered at The Curve, Mutiara Damansara in Petaling Jaya, with branches at Jalan Maarof in Bangsar, Bandar Botanic in Klang, City Plaza in Johor Bahru, and Bukit Mertajam in Penang, offering screening, consultative services, treatment and surgical procedures.

For more information on the Rotary & Vista for The Right to Sight campaign, please contact the Rotary Club of Damansara-West at rotarydamansarawest@gmail.com or by fax to 03-20321189 or call 012-683 2189.

To find out more about the free eye screenings at VISTA Eye Specialist, contact the VISTA hotline at 1800-88-3937 or email help@vista.com.my