A Pietermaritzburg children’s activist hopes to raise greater awareness about the importance of eye care, especially among young people so they can avoid eye-related problems as they get older.
Speaking after the launch of his book Dr Specs & Eye ‒ Disorders or Lazy Eyes at the Bessie Head Library in Pietermaritzburg, Sikhumbuzo Khumalo said the publication of the book was a long-held dream, primarily prompted by a concern about the frequency of young people using cellphones.
“Kids are constantly playing games on cellphones and when they are not doing that, they are watching television, something that puts a strain on eyes. So I wanted to find out the dangers of such habits and an easy way to provide information about other eye conditions,” Khumalo said.
The author said he had noticed eyesight was becoming a challenge across society and expressed a concern that most young people did not realise the long-term effects of neglecting their eyes. He hoped to change attitudes.
“Wherever one goes there are people who are wearing spectacles and it is not clear whether it is just a fashion statement or people are battling some form of challenge. So, I set out to get answers to all these questions,” he said.
This resulted in extensive research which included interviews with optometrists, general practitioners in private practices and eyecare specialists in public hospitals, mainly in Pietermaritzburg.
Khumalo said he wanted to inform people that there assistance is available at public hospitals, but many people are not aware of this.
“This means there are instances of people who are going blind while there is help available in the form of tests and glasses in public healthcare institutions.”
The book also explained diet choices and other habits that had an impact on eyesight.
Khumalo said some of the proceeds from book sales would go to organisations that assist on campaigns to deal with visual impairments.
This is Khumalo’s second book: he published Mr Litter and Friends in 2009 to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining clean surroundings.
He said he regarded himself as a community activist seeking to make a difference through words.