#BTSpeakingOut – An indictment on our eye care system

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.

by M. Maynard

I was one of the many who lined up for hours to get their eyes checked at the health initiative recently organised by Sandals.

Kudos to the resort for its timely outreach for the benefit of persons who might be having issues with their vision.

But it was not lost on me that many of the people there could have been there as a result of inadequate care and attention from medical personnel at home.

I am speaking from personal experience as I have been waiting for an eye operation for two years and do not seem any closer to getting it.

The doctor here keeps giving me different appointments, with the latest now pushed to next year.

I wonder if some of these doctors who work for government facilities also have their private practice and are frustrating patients into seeking private care.

If I had the money or insurance to seek private care I would. But I don’t have the money so I am at the mercy of the hospital doctors.  If things were better in Barbados, I doubt the lines up at San-dals would have been so long.

I do not believe it is just a matter of freeness that was the attraction because people generally do not play around with their eyes.