Nairobi patients to access better eye care as Mutuini Hospital acquires first Tonometer

The upgrade at Mutuini Hospital is expected to strengthen early diagnosis, streamline treatment, and expand access to essential eye services in county facilities.

According to Mutuini Hospital CEO Dr. Martin Wafula, the new tools worth Ksh.2.5 million will enhance the accuracy of routine eye examinations and support county efforts to tackle preventable blindness.

Among the equipment is a Trial Set containing 266 lenses, frames, and accessories used to test vision and detect refractive errors. The set includes spherical and cylindrical lenses, prisms, an occluder, pinhole, Maddox rod, stenopic slit, and the Jackson Cross Cylinder, enabling comprehensive assessment of patients’ eyesight.

The hospital has also received Nairobi’s first tonometer, a key device for measuring intraocular pressure used in glaucoma detection and management.

Mutuini is now one of the few facilities in the county to own a Plenoptika autorefractor, which provides objective measurements of refractive errors—particularly useful for children and patients who have difficulty expressing their symptoms.

To boost its outreach efforts, the hospital has added a portable retinoscope suitable for mobile eye camps, along with spectacle frames, pen torches, and oscilloscopes.

Dr Wafula said the equipment comes as the hospital expands its community eye care initiatives. In recent months, Mutuini and county teams have screened 15,000 residents, provided 3,500 free spectacles, and performed 150 corrective surgeries.

Mutuini Hospital is now preparing for its next free eye surgery camp on November 29 and 30, continuing efforts to improve access to sight-restoring care for Nairobians.