By Olga Aprianti Lee, SIECRC
The Awareness of Macular Diseases Week 2017, a nationwide public health campaign, was officially launched in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital on 16 September 2017 by Er Dr Lee Bee Wah, Advisor to Nee Soon GRC GROs and Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC. This year’s campaign, from 16 to 23 September, aimed to raise the awareness of eye diseases that affect the macula, the central most sensitive portion of the retina.
International Eye Cataract Retina Centre optometrists Ms Ng Shu Yi and Ms Olga Aprianti Lee participated in the launch by manning a booth to sell “When Grandma Sees a Whirlpool” and “When Daddy’s Vision Becomes ‘Smoky’”, the proceeds of which will be donated to the Macular Degeneration Society (Singapore), a non-profit organisation that offers support for patients with macular degeneration. Dr Au Eong Kah Guan, Medical Director and Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist at International Eye Cataract Retina Centre, is the honorary advisor to the society.
“When Grandma Sees a Whirlpool” and “When Daddy’s Vision Becomes ‘Smoky’” are easy-to-understand books for both children and adults. The books aim to create awareness of age-related macular degeneration and lesser known dangers of smoking as well as to educate the public from an early age so that healthy lifestyle habits can be ingrained in an individual before adulthood.
Members of the public who are interested to buy the books can do so online here. The books are also available in Books Kinokuniya and its online store.
Photos courtesy of Mr Albert Sim from Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.
