Helping eye cancer patients from India and around the world

Sight restored. Cancer beaten. Lives saved! And all thanks to our generous donors!

Indian boy receives life-saving eye cancer treatment through Operation Eyesight — Four-year-old Rounak from India was diagnosed with retinoblastoma. It was too late to save his left eye, but thanks to the doctors at the Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, his right eye – and his remaining vision – were saved! Rounak received specialized, integrated treatment at the Institute, all at no charge to his parents, who otherwise could not afford the treatment needed to save their son’s life. Today, Rounak is cancer-free. He’s a happy child and is attending school. With continued support from Operation Eyesight’s donors, many more children like Rounak will receive life-saving treatment at the Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer. [Photo courtesy of LVPEI]

In September 2015, we opened the Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer in India in response to the shocking fact that every day, four children in India are born with eye cancer. Through its early detection and integrated treatments programs, the Institute has prevented hundreds of children from losing their sight to retinoblastoma, a life-threatening eye cancer almost exclusively found in young children.

Fortunately, with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, we can save 95 percent of children suffering from retinoblastoma, and in 75 percent of cases, the child’s vision can be saved.

Kenyan child receives life-saving canacer treatment through Operation Eyesight. — Four-year-old Sauloochleng from Kenya was diagnosed with retinoblastoma in both eyes when he was a baby. He received treatment at a local hospital, where he underwent chemotherapy and had his right eye removed. The tumour in his left eye, however, grew relentlessly. He was referred to the Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer for further treatment, but sadly, the tumour was so advanced that his left eye also had to be removed. Although her son will never see again, Sauloochleng’s mother says she’s happy her son is alive and doing well. She knows he received his final surgery at the best place possible. [Photo courtesy of LVPEI]

The Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer was established at the prestigious L V Prasad Eye Institute in the city of Hyderabad, thanks to a generous contribution from a Canadian donor family. The Institute provides comprehensive treatment for the entire range of ophthalmic tumors in both children and adults, and patients who cannot afford to pay are offered treatment free of cost. Since its opening, we’ve screened nearly 40,000 people, diagnosed more than 1,700 patients with eye tumours and performed 6,445 procedures including surgeries and chemotherapy.

The Institute also offers critically required services to India and other developing countries through research, capacity-building and education programs. It has trained several ophthalmologists and optometrists as part of its fellowship program, and has published several research papers in reputable, peer-reviewed journals.

There are only a few centres around the world – and none in Asia – that specialize in this type of integrated treatment and serve as a global resource centre. We’re extremely grateful for our donors’ support in providing such a vital service to India and beyond.

In India, retinoblastoma, along with other types of eye cancer, has largely remained undetected due to lack of awareness and the limited availability of affordable eye cancer treatment. In fact, India has the highest number of new cases of eye cancer in the world and more than half of the global burden of eye cancer.

Wall of children's hand prints who were given life-saving eye cancer treatment by Operation Eyesight — The “Wall of Hope” with handprints of children treated for retinoblastoma at the Operation Eyesight Institute for Eye Cancer. Each handprint represents a life saved, thanks to our donors.

The Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer will play a critical role in increasing awareness about eye cancer, leading to early diagnosis and treatment. With your continued support, we will save many more lives!