RESIDENTS of Region Three will no longer have to endure lengthy travels to the capital city for essential eye-care and tests following the expansion of the Ming’s Optical’s service to Parika.

The new facility, according to Managing Director and proprietor, Dr. Michelle Ming, will provide ease of access to eye-care for residents of Region Three and surrounding areas in a state-of-the-art environment.

She was speaking at the opening of the branch in the Lotus Mall.
“We’ve installed state-of-the-art equipment for comprehensive eye-care, so it would include not just testing for spectacles and contact lenses but overall healthcare of one’s eyes,” Dr. Ming added.

She continued, “Early detection of eye disease such as glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy are of utmost importance so we can do a lot of preventive care [here].”
Having first worked at the Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (GPC) after returning from her studies in England, Dr. Ming established her first clinic in Georgetown in 1990. She believes that the region requires integral eye-care.

“With the improving economic activities in Region Three, we felt that there is a need to expand our eye-care services here, in Parika, and also in the other areas of the East Bank of Essequibo, West Coast Demerara and even persons travelling from Bartica and other hinterland locations.”

Giving the feature address, First Lady Sandra Granger echoed Dr. Ming’s statement about the growing economic state in the region, saying, “Our presence here signals two things; firstly; as a business person, Dr. Michelle Ming is confident of the future of our country and shows this by an investment in the new branch.”

“Secondly; Michelle is determined to provide the best eye care possible to citizens of this country. With this in mind, she has equipped this branch with state-of-the-art equipment to provide comprehensive eye care,” she said.

Mrs. Granger added, “While practicing in her field, Michelle [Dr. Ming] not only helped to establish the first low vision care clinic in the Caribbean at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), she volunteered her services there for five years and provided magnifiers and telescopes for parents whose sight could not be improved by spectacles.”
John Adams, Advisor to the Ministry of Public Health contended that eye care is vitally important to the populace, considering the growing number of cases regarding non-communicable diseases involving sight.

“It is imperative that tangible efforts are being made by all concerned stakeholders, to raise the awareness about the preventable blindness and the importance of routine eye checks that are the first steps to preserving one eye sight,” he noted.
The new location will be opened thrice weekly, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 09:00-14:00 hours.