Patrick Roberts continues focus on glaucoma in new exhibition

Artist and masman Patrick Roberts is holding another exhibition in his series focusing on glaucoma.

The exhibition, The Windows – A Conversation with Glaucoma, is happening during World Glaucoma Week, March 12-16.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can cause vision loss and blindness by damaging a nerve in the back of the eye, the optic nerve. Roberts has no sight in his right eye, but says this has not stopped his creative process, but has shown him the strength of his support system.

“I do more artistically than I’ve ever done. I paint, I design and build Carnival costumes, including a children’s band for 2024 and I’m actively working on designs for 2025. I write, I published a book four years ago, and I plan to publish four titles this year.

“I don’t say I suffer with glaucoma, I say glaucoma lives with me, and it has to pay rent.

"I used to think it was a life sentence but not any more. It affects my state of being in that I don’t have depth perception and everything is flat. My doctor, Dr Debra Bartholomew, is amazed that I’m able to paint something with perspective, considering what she sees in my eyes.”

He said his paintings in the Windows series tell of his journey with the condition.

“There’s one called Walking By Faith.

"You know we would have heard, 'You have to walk by faith and not by sight?' Well I understand that all too well now, and I also paint that way. I suppose I have things stored in my memory, so while I’m not physically able to see all of it, the subconscious comes to the fore and will fill those gaps.

"I told a friend I paint from the window through the window, which is the eye of the mind. I am using the gift of the ability to do art to help people to become better.

"For me, glaucoma is a life sentence, it is not a death sentence. It’s a sentence outside of jail.”

Roberts uses paint with pastels on a watercolour-based paper.

"I mix some different colours to turn the white paper into black, so I am painting from that dark side, bringing light to dark. So that’s part of the message also.”

Roberts said he has appointed himself as a spokesman against glaucoma, which is the leading cause of blindness in the Caribbean, and Trinidad and Tobago in particular.

“My doctors tell me I can talk about the condition from the inside out, while medical practitioners talk about it from the outside looking in.

“I’ve seen especially in Tobago, it’s astounding how many people don’t know they have it in some form or fashion, especially men, because we don’t like to go to the doctor. We need to go to the doctor for our eyes, prostate, teeth and our overall health.”

He said he also encourages parents to test their children for eye issues early, as glaucoma can be inherited.

“There are children with sight issues who have never been tested, and it can lead to many issues in later life. Imagine you’re the tall child put in the back of the classroom, but you can’t see, so you get called all kinds of names. You can see where that could lead.

“Due to the preponderance of electronic devices, there’s a worldwide epidemic of shortsightedness, because the children have the devices close to their faces.

"Also, these children don’t go outside and play, so their depth perception is off.”

He said during World Glaucoma Week, he will be trying to get the children in his band tested, or during his second showing in July. He plans to have three shows this year.

Roberts said the issue of dependence is one people should think of when it comes to their health.

“Once your health is compromised, there’s a level of dependence on the state, your pocket, and on family members. Not everyone has the level of support I have, and if they don’t have that, it puts a pressure and the state and the whole country.

“If I can help before it gets to that, I would be glad. If I could have every student in the country tested, it would be nice. If children can’t see, and parents can’t afford to carry them to the eye doctor, how are they going to deal with buying spectacles? If it comes to choice between eating and glasses, parents are always going to choose glasses.”

The paintings will be displayed at the Caribbean Eye Institute, 5 Igneri Road, Valsayn South from 10 am-6 pm.