Clearview Eye and Laser Medical Center

One of the causes of cataracts, that clouding of the lens which causes blindness, is the sun's ultraviolet rays. About 185,000 people in Nepal are now blind from cataracts. The country has 80 eye doctors, one for every 400,000 people.

Wanda Vivequin is a Dutch-born New Zealander who as a child was inspired by Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Mt. Everest, which is in Nepal. She has been fascinated by the Himalayas ever since, and in 2000 she visited the country. Nepal borders Tibet and its altitude ranges from about 16,000 feet to 29,000 feet. That high altitude intensifies the sun's UV rays.

Seeing the poverty of Nepal's villages, Ms. Vivequin began a campaign to send caps to them to protect children's eyes from the sun. Caps Against Cataracts. She began recruiting Canadians bound for Nepal to use any extra luggage space for caps and so far has sent about 4,000 caps.

Once they're in Nepal, they go on a bus and small plane and then a three-week return yak voyage. She has sponsors to pay for the yaks, who receive a photo of their yak carrying caps with their corporate logo on it.

Shielding your eyes from the sun will certainly help against cataracts, especially if you live at a high altitude such as Nepal, or even Colorado. Sunglasses will also help. But cataracts are also a part of aging, regardless of how much time you spend in the sunshine. Cataract causes are not fully understood. The lens consists of water and proteins and as we age, the protein fibers start to clump together in tiny opaque areas which block vision.

At ClearViewEye we offer treatment for cataracts. You can have an intraocular lens implanted in place of your natural lens. This restores full vision and ensures that you will never again develop cataracts. Please contact us if you would like a complimentary consultation.

• LASIK
• PRK
• IntraLase
• Presbyopia
• Implantable Contact Lenses
• Intacs
• Cataracts
• BOTOX®

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