Eye Care Program

When We Talk About Making a Difference...

Jhari Saren, a 78-year-old widow who lives in a mud hut, could not see anything for three years. Both of her eyes were operated on and after her bandages were removed, her greatest joy was to see her grandson and granddaughter again.

This was made possible because of a large donation from an Alberta couple who had gone to India and seen for themselves how one of our projects had changed the lives of older persons. With the support of HelpAge Canada ($80,000), HelpAge India restored the vision of 3,200 senior citizens, free of charge to them.

With nearly 70 percent of the Indian population living in rural areas, many older persons do not have access to eye care. HelpAge India and its three local partners went to remote areas, villages and slums to inform older people of the eye camps. They used banners, posters, leaflets, loud speakers and door-to-door surveys. Screening camps were set up where qualified ophthalmologists identified people in need of cataract surgery. They provided transportation, food, boarding, lenses, temporary glasses, and medicine. In addition, they set up follow-up camps held in rural areas around Delhi, Mumbai and in West Bengal. They also helped in identifying other ailments related to general health, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and arthritis.

An eye operation brough immense relief to Leela Ram, a 60-year-old man of Jaggabus Kinar village in Hansi District. His life had been tough for some time; his wife had passed away and his son and daughter, who were settled in life, refused to take care of him. He was gradually losing his sight and there was no one to help him.

In the Purba Medinipur district, 70-year-old Renuk Das was selected for cataract surgery on both eyes. She is now seeing again, which is vital since there is no one to look after her.

One of the most moving cases was of Mamli, a 65-year-old resident of Bharatpur. She had been blind for three years and was unable to do any work and was totally dependent on her children. She told the staff at the screening camp that she was scared. They reassured her saying they had all the back-up facilities needed to ensure nothing went wrong. After the surgery, when her bandages were removed, her apprehensions turned to exhilaration upon discovering that she could see. Mamli was seeing the world in all its colours after three years! She said, “I had never imagined that I could see once again. I thought that the rest of my whole life was going to be spent in darkness!”

All these small miracles happened thanks to a couple in far-away Alberta.