Gaza Herald- Abdul Salam Sabah, director of the Eye Hospital in Gaza, announced that nearly 1,200 new cases of total or partial vision loss were recorded in just the past two weeks in the Al-Nasr neighborhood and Gaza City alone.
Sabah told Voice of Palestine radio on Monday that approximately 1,500 cases of complete or partial vision loss had been registered due to direct eye injuries, in addition to gradual vision loss caused by chronic diseases that worsened due to the lack of proper treatment.
He explained that “between 4,000 and 5,000 patients who used to regularly visit the Eye Hospital before the war are now without medical follow-up or treatment, putting them at risk of losing their sight.” He confirmed that severe malnutrition leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which weaken the optic nerves and increase the likelihood of gradual vision impairment and loss, especially for diabetic patients.
Without swift action to address both the medical shortages and nutritional deficiencies, the number of people suffering from vision loss in Gaza will continue to rise.
It is critical that humanitarian aid reaches these patients promptly to safeguard their eyesight and improve their quality of life amid this ongoing crisis.
