Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital, located in North Bengal, India, is an advanced secondary level eye hospital run by the Lions Club of Siliguri Greater. Operation Eyesight has been a key supporter of the hospital since its founding in 1981.
The hospital started in a modest fashion, offering only basic patient care services. Operation Eyesight team members advised management on technical and managerial issues, and provided funding for improvement in services and upgrades to the hospital.
Dr. Subrata Saha, the current medical superintendent, joined the hospital in 1997 when it was still a small organization catering mostly to the poor. At the time, non-paying and paying patients were seen in separate blocks. Operation Eyesight staff suggested several structural and systemic changes to introduce quality and equity.
As a consequence of these changes, today non-paying patients are seen in the same rooms as paying patients, with treatment remaining the same for both, although non-paying patients wait a little longer than those who pay. Dr. Saha is proud to report that the hospital has improved by leaps and bounds in all areas.
In 2005, Operation Eyesight recommended and provided funding to start the transformation of the hospital into a tertiary eye care centre. Comprehensive eye examinations were made mandatory for all patients; staff were sent for professional training; and the facility as a whole was upgraded. Both the optical shop and pharmacy were expanded at Operation Eyesight’s recommendation – a marketing strategy that has improved sales and contributed significantly to the increasing revenue of the hospital.
“Siliguri is a strong and successful hospital partner that has really embraced Operation Eyesight’s self-sustaining approach,” says Kashinath Bhoosnurmath, our senior director of International Programs. “The doctors have helped thousands of people regain their sight, regardless of their ability to pay. We are proud to work with them!”
This story first appeared in the Fall 2013 issue of our newsletter, SightLines. Read more about Operation Eyesight’s connection with Siliguri here.
The topic of genetically engineered crops is controversial at best and polarizing for many. Some would argue that the benefits of being able to alter a plant’s genetic structure to make it bigger, faster-growing and/or more nutritious, outweigh other factors. Others question the ethics, safety and regulations of such modifications.
However, those of us in the international eye health community are watching with interest one particular crop: golden rice. Developed in 1999, this genetically engineered rice helps combat blindness and death in children – one typical daily serving supplies a whopping 60 percent of the vitamin A critical for healthy eyes!
Over the years, Operation Eyesight and other international NGOs have worked steadily to distribute Vitamin A supplements to mothers and children in developing countries. However, the need is still immense. The World Health Organization states, “Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children and increases the risk of disease and death from severe infections.”
While growing crops may be outside our mandate, we will be interested in future research about golden rice and its potential for helping prevent blindness. If you’d like to read more, check out this Slate.com story.
If I became blind, I might not feel inclined to keep up with my daily chores. How about you? However, that wasn’t the case for 75-year old Deevanamma.
“In spite of her blindness, she never sits idle,” neighbours told us admiringly.
Deevanamma and her husband raised five children in the small Indian village of Ungamath. She always had problems with her vision, but was able to cope until her husband died. Then, she moved to Fatehnagar slum in the city of Hyderabad to live with her daughter Silvarani, her husband and their three other children.
Like many of us, Deevanamma started her day by attending to the household chores each morning after her family left for work or school. However, her vision steadily became worse until she was unable to do any housework at all.
A community health worker diagnosed Deevanamma with cataract, but she refused to visit a clinic for a check up or surgery. Deevanamma told the health worker, “I am blind due to old age. I am waiting to die and will die as I am.” Given her age and overall poor health, her family didn’t insist.
Soon she was totally blind and needed help to meet even her basic needs. Kind neighbours had to help the frail senior by carrying her to the toilet, washing area and so on. Life was grim for this poor lady.
Fortunately, Deevanamma’s life was about to change. A community health worker named Saritha heard about the blind senior. Even though she was on vacation, Saritha made it a point to meet Deevanamma, and was able to convince her and her daughter that she should be examined at the local Operation Eyesight-sponsored vision centre.
Deevenamma was taken in her grandson’s auto-rickshaw (a three wheeler) to the vision centre, where she was diagnosed with bilateral cataract. She was referred to an Operation Eyesight partner hospital, Kishor Chand secondary level eye hospital, for further check up.
Her grandson helped her to the hospital, where she finally agreed to undergo cataract surgery for both eyes, one after another. I am happy to report that she regained her vision!
Today, Deevanamma laughs and says that now that she can see everything again, she is happy to perform her chores faster. She blesses Saritha for helping her. Her laughter brings smiles to the neighbourhood, including Saritha, who persistently followed up with her.
Community health workers like Saritha help direct vulnerable people to vision care services every day! Learn more about Operation Eyesight’s innovative community health worker program.
Aging is a fact of life. Hair greys, limbs stiffen, skin wrinkles. We don’t like it, but we generally accept it. But you may be surprised to learn: your fate does not necessarily have to include blindness due to cataract!
Let me tell you about Papa Kojo, an 82-year old farmer who has lived almost his entire life in the village of Gomoa Brofoyeduru, located in the Central region of Ghana. He grows cassava, groundnuts, plantains and beans to survive.
Papa Kojo started losing his sight 10 years ago. “Everything started becoming cloudy. I finally accepted the fact that as you grow older, you become blind. It is common in my community, and many people my age complain of the same problem.”
While he may have accepted his situation, Papa Kojo found life becoming more difficult as his sight degenerated.
“In the past two years, I had to be led everywhere. It was difficult for me, since I had to depend on others to get things done and even help me go out. I was devastated. My hair and beard grew so tall and bushy that children used to run away in fear anytime they saw me. I thought I was going to die from my blindness.”
However, Papa Kojo noticed that there were other people, older than he, in his village who were not blind. When he asked a local health worker about them, he learned they had cataract operations to restore their sight. “I was not convinced until I met a neighbour who was in the same condition as me and who recovered after visiting the eye hospital.”
Finally, he put his skepticism aside, and agreed to let his daughter lead him from Gomoa Brofoyeduru to a nearby Operation Eyesight-supported hospital, Watborg Eye Services. There, cataract operations were performed on both eyes. Despite his age, his vision had returned!
Today, Papa Kojo is able to see very well – in fact, he says his sight is even better than it was before. He and his family are very grateful to Operation Eyesight’s donors for bringing his eyesight back to him. He enjoys farming again, and says his goal is to be the best farmer in his village. He is a living testament to the fact that advanced age does not have to result in blindness.
“I can see clearly now! I feel good as I do not need to depend on people to get things done or move around. I say thank you, and God bless you for giving me my life back.”
Learn more about cataracts here. And no matter how old you are, be sure to visit a professional for regular eye exams. Remember, age-related aches and pains may come and go, but cataracts don’t have to happen to you!
Operation Eyesight isn’t the only organization working to end avoidable blindness. There is a community of eye care organizations who share our goal of a world without avoidable blindness. These organizations are our friends, partners and allies in the prevention of blindness, and being recognized by them is a great reflection on the work that we do. Here are some excerpts from congratulatory letters that we’ve received as part of our 50th anniversary celebration.
"Congratulations on your 50th anniversary! We here at International Eye Foundation (IEF) can easily appreciate your pride as we just celebrated our own 50th in 2011.
I knew [Operation Eyesight founder] Art Jenkyns and many of his successors. Operation Eyesight has been a wonderful partner in the fight against avoidable blindness, and I am very pleased to see your emphasis on sustainability planning for eye care institutions. Congratulations on a very successful half century of eye care development. Your leadership in the field is recognized and we congratulate you on your achievements."
Victoria M. Sheffield
President and CEO, International Eye Foundation
"We have been very impressed by your work in developing countries in providing high quality eye care programmes and promoting community development.
We share the same aspiration for high quality eye and vision care to be a human right accessible to all The worldwide improvement and conservation of human sight benefits from your important work performing vital surgery, funding clinics, providing training and equipment and working with communities to improve their living conditions."
Tone Garaas-Maurdalen
Former President, World Council of Optometry
"A mother sees her child for the first time in years. A boy returns to school after suffering eye trauma. A grandfather regains his sight after 10 years of needless blindness. Each got a second chance at sight because of the work of Operation Eyesight.
Access to water is crucial to the elimination of trachoma, and Operation Eyesight recently achieved a remarkable goal in Kenya. It met its target of providing 51 water points in Kenya’s Narok district. This was instrumental in reducing the district’s overall prevalence of trachoma from almost 31 percent to 11 percent, a 65 percent improvement.
It is one example of the remarkable impact of Operation Eyesight’s work. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many people."
Danny Haddad, MD
Director, International Trachoma Initiative
"I am delighted to be able to send this message to mark the 50th anniversary of Operation Eyesight. I have had the privilege to visit a great many eye health programmes over the years and few have impressed me as much as those supported by Operation Eyesight. I have always noted the strong commitment to work at the community level and the investment in time to get real ownership of the project amongst local government and communities – to my mind the secret behind all good sustainable development work. Over the years, Operation Eyesight has made a huge contribution to the elimination of avoidable blindness in the world, and I wish the organisation every success for its future; the work you do just could not be more important."
Peter Ackland
CEO, International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness
To read more letters of congratulation that we’ve received, click here.
Operation Eyesight isn’t the only organization working to end avoidable blindness. There is a community of eye care organizations who share our goal of a world without avoidable blindness. These organizations are our friends, partners and allies in the prevention of blindness, and being recognized by them is a great reflection on the work that we do. Here are some excerpts from congratulatory letters that we’ve received as part of our 50th anniversary celebration.
"Congratulations on your 50th anniversary! We here at International Eye Foundation (IEF) can easily appreciate your pride as we just celebrated our own 50th in 2011.
I knew [Operation Eyesight founder] Art Jenkyns and many of his successors. Operation Eyesight has been a wonderful partner in the fight against avoidable blindness, and I am very pleased to see your emphasis on sustainability planning for eye care institutions. Congratulations on a very successful half century of eye care development. Your leadership in the field is recognized and we congratulate you on your achievements."
Victoria M. Sheffield
President and CEO, International Eye Foundation
"We have been very impressed by your work in developing countries in providing high quality eye care programmes and promoting community development.
We share the same aspiration for high quality eye and vision care to be a human right accessible to all The worldwide improvement and conservation of human sight benefits from your important work performing vital surgery, funding clinics, providing training and equipment and working with communities to improve their living conditions."
Tone Garaas-Maurdalen
Former President, World Council of Optometry
"A mother sees her child for the first time in years. A boy returns to school after suffering eye trauma. A grandfather regains his sight after 10 years of needless blindness. Each got a second chance at sight because of the work of Operation Eyesight.
Access to water is crucial to the elimination of trachoma, and Operation Eyesight recently achieved a remarkable goal in Kenya. It met its target of providing 51 water points in Kenya’s Narok district. This was instrumental in reducing the district’s overall prevalence of trachoma from almost 31 percent to 11 percent, a 65 percent improvement.
It is one example of the remarkable impact of Operation Eyesight’s work. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many people."
Danny Haddad, MD
Director, International Trachoma Initiative
"I am delighted to be able to send this message to mark the 50th anniversary of Operation Eyesight. I have had the privilege to visit a great many eye health programmes over the years and few have impressed me as much as those supported by Operation Eyesight. I have always noted the strong commitment to work at the community level and the investment in time to get real ownership of the project amongst local government and communities – to my mind the secret behind all good sustainable development work. Over the years, Operation Eyesight has made a huge contribution to the elimination of avoidable blindness in the world, and I wish the organisation every success for its future; the work you do just could not be more important."
Peter Ackland
CEO, International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness
To read more letters of congratulation that we’ve received, click here.
Commitment and energy are precious commodities for most of us. An organization’s mission and vision need to personally resonate for volunteers to invest their valuable time.
That’s why we were so appreciative when Dan Parlow – who is both a busy Vancouver lawyer and the chair of Operation Eyesight Canada – was able to come to Calgary for last week’s board of directors’ meeting. It was great to have him here in person, rather than conference calling into the meeting as he and many of our board members usually do.
Dan sat down with our staff to talk about why the cause of avoidable blindness is important to him, and why he commits his leadership and vision to our organization.
Daniel S. Parlow, chair of Operation Eyesight Canada, is a partner with the Vancouver legal firm Kornfeld Mackoff Silber LLP. We thank him, and all our board members, for their commitment to our mission!
Kashinath, recently appointed as our Senior Director of International Programs, was told this heartwarming story by Dr. Santosh Moses, Country Manager, India.
Never did Bonny Gideon and his wife Nagamani imagine that their future would be dependent upon the tiny hands that they held to teach baby steps.
The couple live in the village of Pangidigudem, located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where Bonny works at a non-governmental organization. Both husband and wife suffer from vision-related problems: Bonny has cataract and several other eye issues, and Nagamani suffers from night blindness. Unfortunately, their conditions are irreversible.
On the advice of some friends, they have been treated at the Bob Ohlson Centre for Sight Enhancement at Operation Eyesight’s partner LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in Visakhapatnam. The centre was established for rehabilitation treatment in 2006 with support from Operation Eyesight.
About six years ago, Nagamani and Bonny became proud parents of a daughter whom they named Smiley. But when they were told that their baby was also blind from cataract, their dreams came crashing down. They were devastated at the thought of their child facing the same fate that they suffered. Fortunately, local doctors, whom they consulted first, urged them to take their baby to LVPEI when she was only four months old.
When Dr. Avinash Pathengay saw the little family in the outpatient department, he stopped by to enquire about their wellbeing. When he learned that they were there not for themselves, but for their tiny daughter, he reassured the worried parents that
Smiley’s vision-related challenges were only temporary.
With their worries allayed by Dr. Avinash and the counselor, Smiley underwent surgery to remove the cataracts in her eyes. A month after surgery, she regained her vision completely. Today, at almost six years old, she is able to perform tasks similar to other children her age, and also attend school. She continues to visit the Bob Ohlson Centre for Sight Enhancement for follow-up treatment, and is a familiar sight to the staff of the centre.
“Smiley is using vision correction glasses as the doctor advised, attending school and helping her mother when she returns home,” says the happy father. “She reads the names of places and the numbers on the bus for us when we go out. She talks incessantly about the posters on the walls, and tells us about whatever is happening around us all along our way.
“She is the anchor to our lives; she is our eyes!”
Cataracts don’t discriminate; the vision-clouding condition can lead to blindness in tiny babies, children, adults and seniors alike. Fortunately, the solution is relatively simple! Learn how you can help.
Today is International Women’s Day and we’re talking water. Why? In areas where water is scarce, it is usually women and girls who are responsible for fetching water. This often involves walking several kilometres each day with the very present danger of being attacked by wild animals. And for girls, it means they either miss a lot of school or aren’t enrolled at all.
Thankfully, we have amazing donors who are committed to changing this situation.
Dean Loewen and his team have created their own Race for a Reason – the Run for “Well”ness for which they’ll complete the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon or 5K race on June 23. Their goal is to raise $15,000 for our Zambia well projects!
Dean, who serves as president of the Mechanical Contractors Association of British Columbia (MCABC), was inspired to put together the team by an old friend Brad Diggens. Brad, chairman of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada (MCAC), made Operation Eyesight the MCAC’s charity of choice for the duration of his term. They focus their support for the Zambia wells program.
“When I first heard about the partnership with Operation Eyesight, I didn’t see the connection between eyes and wells,” explains Dean. “As I sat back and listened, I began to understand how wells tie into cleanliness and eyesight. Then Brad announced last year that he and his daughter were hiking the West Coast Trail for Operation Eyesight.”
Dean continues, “I loved what Brad was doing by tying his charity work into his health, fitness and family. I got into health and fitness about four years ago, thanks to my wife Rita. Now, I run and work out regularly. So I thought ‘what a dream to be able to do something with my daughter and wife!’”
Dean, being the go-getting type, made it happen. And it wasn’t enough to do it himself... he challenged members of MCABC to join him for their Race for a Reason. To date, 13 have taken up the challenge, including his wife and daughter Jenelle! They’ll also be promoting the race at MCABC’s upcoming chapter meetings, provincial conference and golf tournament. And Dean has extended the invitation to anyone who’d like to join them: “Everyone is welcome!”
On behalf of the women and communities in Zambia who will benefit from their incredible spirit and dedication, we say a huge “thank you!” to Dean and his MCABC team.
Stay tuned for updates about Dean and his team’s progress.
Joan Taylor and Gerry Wright of Campbell River, B.C. had no idea what awaited them when Joan opened the Winter 2013 edition of our SightLines newsletter. On the back page was the opportunity to check off a huge bucket list item – walking the El Camino de Santiago in Spain.
“Here were two things I love dearly: Operation Eyesight and the El Camino. I thought, ‘we have to do this.’” explains Joan. “Timing wise it wasn’t all that great because it was less than two weeks after we get back from another holiday, but sometimes in life you just have to do it!”
Joan has been an Operation Eyesight supporter for about 11 years, and has a very personal connection to our mission. Her mother suffered from vision loss due to macular degeneration, so she knows how difficult it can be to manage without vision. Not only that, Joan manages a long-term care facility and works with people who struggle every day because they have lost their eyesight.
“My mom and I were extremely close,” explains Joan. “When she turned 80, my siblings and I decided to give five people the gift of sight from Operation Eyesight in mom’s honour.”
Joan continues: “She was so touched that she cried every time she told somebody about the gifts. She couldn’t get over how you could change someone’s life for such a small amount of money. I was hooked on Operation Eyesight after that.”
As for the El Camino Race for a Reason, it was a perfect solution for Joan and Gerry. They had been hoping to do it – especially after seeing Martin Sheen’s movie “The Way” – but the 30 to 45 days it takes to do the entire trail was daunting. Our 10-day trek was the answer!
To prepare, Joan and Gerry train every day. “It’s not easy! When you’re done work at 5 p.m. and it’s blowing and howling and pouring freezing rain, training is a challenge. But, so what?” laughs Joan. “It’s a great cause and we’re really happy to do it.”
They’ve also tapped their networks to raise the donation portion of the trip. And it’s paid off – they’ve already surpassed their fundraising goal more than two months before the deadline! Joan explains, “Nothing like working under pressure! It’s really touching to see the people who have stepped forward to support. I can’t tell you how deeply touched we are.”
Joan and Gerry’s El Camino adventure has just begun, so check back for updates. And they aren’t the only Operation Eyesight supporters getting ready for a Race for a Reason. Stay tuned for more inspirational stories of adventure and camaraderie in the coming weeks!