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Donnie Rhett Koonce works at Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Associates where he conducts data analysis in ophthalmic research projects. Besides his research work, Donnie Rhett Koonce helps the community by volunteering with Sightsavers to perform free glaucoma screenings in Winston-Salem.
Sightsavers is an international charity organization that prevents vision loss, works with governmental forces to protect people from avoidable blindness, and advocates for disability rights. Established in 1950, the organization has performed more than 7 million cataract operations to prevent blindness in developing countries.
A cataract is a cloudy spot that develops on the human lens. Typically associated with old age, untreated cataracts can eventually lead to vision loss. Cataract patients can be treated surgically. Cataract surgery is a simple procedure that requires a local anesthetic. The operation usually takes around 20 minutes. The surgeon carefully removes the affected lens and replaces it with an artificial one. Postoperative recovery takes less than a day and patients regain their vision within hours.
