Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Nov 10/99) - Sean Kusugak's eye lids struggle to stay open as the eye dropper hovers slightly above his upturned face.

A completely normal and reflex reaction which eye technician Mike Marykuca has seen thousands of times before.

Marykuca works out of the Stanton Regional Hospital in Yellowknife.

He and a number of other technicians travel to communities across the Arctic delivering a health service which has existed for more than 20 years.

Marykuca himself has been examining Northern eyes for more than 20 years.

"I'd have to say I've been to just about every community," he says with a laugh.

"We notify each different hamlet before our arrival. The towns vary in size and the larger the town, the more often we visit."

Marykuca and his fellow peers usually stay in a hamlet for three or four days.

They zigzag back and forth across the Arctic identifying and treating eye disease and figuring out people's prescriptions so they can be fitted with eye glasses.

As Kusugak struggles to identify the symbols projected against the wall of the makeshift examining room, Marykuca says he sees a lot of viral and bacterial infections during his travels.

"Those are something that can really sweep through a community," says Marykuca.

"We also see a lot of elders suffering from either macular degeneration or cataracts."

Marykuca is now approaching his patient -- gracious, but obviously a little unsettled by the popping flashbulbs during his eye exam -- with a powerful little pen light.

As he leans forward to take a closer look at Kusugak's peepers, he says everyone should have an eye exam at least once every two years.

Those suffering from diabetes or hypertension should be examined annually.

"The one piece of advice I can't stress enough concerns children and crossed-eyes.

"If you notice your child is cross-eyed at an early age, that has to be addressed. If you wait until they're five or six, it's too late.

"For most people, eye safety, a healthy lifestyle and bringing their kids in early for examinations is the best advice I can give for good eyesight."

As Kusugak takes his checkup slip and heads off to try on the newest frames, Marykuca peers deliberately into the adjoining room.

"OK, who's next?"