Specialist Eye Care and the Future of Ophthalmology in South Africa Why Eye Health Is About Far More Than Vision
When most people think about eye care, they think about glasses or cataract surgery. That picture captures only a fraction of what specialist ophthalmology actually involves. Conditions affecting the eyelids, tear ducts, eye socket and surrounding tissues are common, complex, and — without the right treatment — can have a profound effect on a patient’s health, appearance, confidence and quality of life.
In this episode of Meet the Management, Tabitha Oxford speaks with Dr Mpopi Lenake, ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon, about the subspecialty that sits at the intersection of eye medicine and reconstructive surgery, what drives her work, and how South Africa is building the next generation of eye care specialists.
About the guest
Dr Mpopi Lenake is an ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon based in Somerset West, where she has practised at The Eye Centre since 2016. She holds an MBChB from Stellenbosch University, an FCOphth (SA), and an MMed in Ophthalmology from the University of Cape Town, which she completed with distinction. In 2015 she undertook advanced subspecialty training in oculoplastic surgery at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne, Australia — one of the world’s leading centres in the field. She was awarded the Justin van Selm Medal in 2012 for outstanding performance in the fellowship examination of the College of Ophthalmologists of South Africa, and also holds a sessional consultant position at Groote Schuur Hospital, where she trained as a specialist.
Beyond her clinical work, Dr Lenake is a former President of the South African Society of Oculoplastic Surgeons (SASOPS), a member of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS), and a founding member of Women in Ophthalmology South Africa (WOSA). She is an active voice in international ophthalmology, having recently represented South Africa at the British Oculoplastic Surgery Society Congress in Sheffield, and plays a central role in advocacy around access to specialist care and the training of the next generation of eye surgeons across the African continent.
Why this conversation matters
Across Africa, millions of people are living with vision loss that was either preventable or treatable had it been detected earlier. Cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and uncorrected refractive errors remain the leading causes of avoidable blindness on the continent — and the barrier is rarely a lack of available treatment. It is a shortage of specialists, long travel distances, unequal distribution of expertise, and health systems that are stretched too thin to meet the demand. The result is that patients frequently seek help only after permanent damage has already occurred.
In South Africa, those systemic pressures play out alongside the additional complexity of a two-tier healthcare system, where private specialist access is relatively concentrated in urban centres while the public sector carries a disproportionate share of the disease burden. Oculoplastic surgery occupies a particularly specialised corner of this landscape — it addresses conditions that general ophthalmology doesn’t cover, sits at the intersection of eye medicine and reconstructive surgery, and requires a depth of training that takes years to build. The pipeline of specialists in this subspecialty remains thin, which is why mentorship and training are not afterthoughts for Dr Lenake; they are central to her professional identity.
This conversation matters because it brings a part of the healthcare system that most people rarely encounter into clear focus. Eye health is not simply about seeing clearly. It is about the eyelid that won’t close properly, the tear duct that has blocked and caused chronic infection, the orbital tumour that threatens vision and appearance at the same time. The work Dr Lenake does addresses those conditions with a level of precision and care that changes lives in concrete, visible ways — and this episode gives her the space to explain why that work is both medically and socially essential.
In this episode
Without turning the conversation into a clinical briefing, this episode offers a thoughtful look at specialist eye care in South Africa through the lens of someone who has shaped the field:
- the subspecialty of oculoplastic surgery and the conditions it treats — from eyelid malposition and tear duct disorders to orbital tumours and reconstructive surgery following eyelid skin cancer
- how treatment in this field affects not just vision but health, appearance, confidence and quality of life
- what drew Dr Lenake to her specialty, and what has sustained her commitment to it over the course of her career
- the role of research, mentorship and specialist training in building sustainable ophthalmology capacity in South Africa and across Africa
- the challenges facing access to specialist eye care — and what meaningful progress looks like
It is a conversation about what it takes to deliver highly specialised care within a healthcare system under pressure, and why training the next generation of specialists is as important as treating the patients in front of you today.
Watch the full episode to hear Dr Mpopi Lenake share her professional journey, her clinical perspective on oculoplastic surgery, and her vision for the future of specialist eye care in South Africa.
About Dr Mpopi Lenake’s Practice
Dr Mpopi Lenake practises from Suite 6K at Arun Place in Somerset West, Western Cape, where she sees patients for both general ophthalmology and specialised oculoplastic conditions in adults and children. Her practice is built around three patient-centred goals: restoring confidence, relieving discomfort, and protecting vision — a framing that reflects how oculoplastic work differs from routine eye care. Many patients arrive not because their sight has deteriorated but because a condition affecting their eyelids, tear ducts or eye socket is causing pain, affecting their appearance, or both. The treatments Dr Lenake offers span eyelid surgery (addressing drooping, malposition and cosmetic concerns), tear duct surgery to relieve obstruction and chronic tearing, orbital surgery for conditions involving the eye socket, general ophthalmic care including cataracts and pterygiums, and targeted botulinum toxin injections for both medical and aesthetic indications such as eyelid spasms and facial asymmetry.
Beyond clinical practice, Dr Lenake holds a sessional consultant position at Groote Schuur Hospital, where she trained and where she continues to mentor the next generation of oculoplastic surgeons. She is active across social media and patient education, and is a committed advocate for women pursuing careers in medicine. Patients can book a consultation directly through her website at www.drlenake.co.za.
