Bajan specialist assists GPHC with retinal surgeries

Dec 06, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – Ophthalmologists of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) have been trained in the use of medical equipment to conduct retinal surgeries, by a Barbadian, ophthalmology specialist, Sherwin Benskin, who specializes in Diabetic Retinopathy.

Doctor Sherwin Benskin, Barbadian Ophthalmology surgeon [left] and Arlene Bobb Semple Retina Surgeon at the GPHC.

He has over 15 years’ experience in this field and is here in Guyana to share some knowledge. Last week the Department of Ophthalmology in collaboration Ophthalmologist, Dr. Benskin conducted approximately 10 retinal surgeries on patients as part of a trial. The retinal surgeries included silicone oil removals, diabetic retinal detachments and diabetic vitreous haemorrhages. The surgeries marked the first for Guyana.
It was explained that though the department had long acquired the requisite equipment to facilitate retinal surgeries, it lacked the expertise to facilitate such. As a result, assistance was sought from its regional counterpart in Barbados to not only facilitate a small number of surgeries but to offer technical assistance in the form of training as well as advice.
For a period of five days, Dr. Benskin – an Ophthalmologist and Vitreo-retinal Surgeon who heads the Department of Ophthalmology at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados – offered his expertise and guidance at the local department here.

Dr. Shailendra Sugrim, Head of the Ophthalmology Department at GPHC.

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that can cause vision loss and blindness in people who have diabetes. Doctor Benskin, was keen to note that this condition is very widespread throughout the Caribbean and Guyana, and wishes to advise persons to take care of their retina by consuming lots of vegetables and having constant eye examinations. He stated that persons who are diabetic are advised to have their eyes checked more frequently than the average person as their condition is much more severe.
He stated that when the condition reaches to the point of surgery the chances are that one’s vision can be permanently impaired one way or the other.
Doctor Shailendra Sugrim, head of the ophthalmology department at the GPHC, told Kaieteur News that the hospital was in possession of the equipment since 2019 but due to the pandemic they were not given the chance to use it. It is only now that Dr. Benskin was given the opportunity to come to Guyana as a visiting consultant to advice and orient doctors on the use of the equipment and to conduct the surgery.
Doctor Arlene Bobb Semple who is a Retina Surgeon at the GPHC, stated that persons who have this condition have had to go abroad over the past years due to the lack of resources here in Guyana and the hospital is seeking to provide such services now so as to save time and cost, which most persons usually cannot afford. Though they will not begin conducting these surgeries now, the GPHC will be sure to announce to the citizens of Guyana when this service will be available at the facility.