Help the elderly see with a cataract surgery by HelpAge India

Program Update

25,000 cataract surgeries conducted with IOL implant from October to March, 2019, restoring their vision, self-confidence and dignity, thereby improving the person’s productivity and quality of life. HI also conducted supported patients with refraction correction and distributed, high quality refractive glasses to more than 7000 individuals. All the program beneficiaries received free of cost services and with 0% complications or vision loss. The program has been appreciated by the community and we were requested to continue the interventions. With the objective of providing comprehensive vision correction to the neediest people across the country, HelpAge India has initiated the Refractive Error Correction Project. Methodology: Two way strategy has been adopted 1. Screening of older people for refractive error through hospital partners and providing corrective glasses 2. Screening at MHU (HI-Mobile Health Units) sites with support of local hospital/ Optometrist and providing corrective glasses.

Story from the field

Mr. Md. Mamtaj a migrant from Bihar who came along with his father and mother in search of livelihood to Banarhat. Banarhat which is surrounded by Tea Gardens, his father had started small tea shop, business as the Tea gardens during his father’s time was doing very well and people of the gardens used to visit the shop, but over the time the Tea Garden in that belts collapsed many were shut down, and now few are running, and that’s how Mamtaj fathers business too collapsed. Mamtaj’s parents are no more and now he has to look after 6 members in his family, he has 4 son’s one daughter and wife. Mamtaj was expressing his hard times due to the shutdown of Tea Gardens he was recalling how well their life was once upon when the factory was functioning which were golden days according to Mamtaj. When we asked Mamtaj what he was doing for his living he said having tears in his eyes “that I pull Rickshaw all day to keep up the family”.Mamtaj has to pull Rickshaw hard all day long to earn more money, sometimes he get to earn Rs.200 and sometimes very less than that which is not at all sufficient to take care of his family. Off late Md. Mamtaj was feeling uneasy with his eye. For few weeks he Didn’t bother, but later he felt he needed to go for check up. So Mamtaj one fine day while pulling his Rickshaw he heard an eye camp happening at nearby garden by Banarhat vision centre and Mamtaj felt that the opportunity to be taken, he checked his eye and he was told that he has cataract (Motiabin )in his eyes. He was counseled and given date by the Banarhat vision centre. He was admitted on 26/02/2019 at Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital for RE Cataract Surgery His earlier vision was 6/24p after operation his visual acuity is 6/18 and Pinhole 6/12. He is very thankful when we said about the HI-DEUTSCHE BANK. “He says: It’s hard to believe still there are people who care for the needy, who are not able to afford by themselves”.