Sukanya, 7-year-old girl, attending a local government school suffered with bilateral cataracts since birth and only had 1/5th of the normal vision.Her parents did not even know of her condition until she was in 1st grade and her teachers kept scolding her for her lack of attention and poor grades. Her parents took her to a local doctor and heard that the cost of her surgery was more than they could afford.Then Nanna Kannu, a comprehensive Pediatric Eye Care Program from Sankara, came to her school and she was identified as needing surgery. She was referred to the base hospital for an evaluation and within a week, Sukanya had her right eye operated on. She admits being very scared but is anxious to have her left eye “fixed” as well. When asked what she thought of having surgery, Sukanya gave us a “thumbs up”.

Ramaswamy is 72 years old. He suffered immensely due to cataract in both his eyes, couldn’t see beyond a few feet and found great difficulty in doing his basic chores. He also loved to ride the cycle, which was restricted now. He had given up any hope of getting his vision back at this age for lack of money and distance from the hospital. Through local announcements he got to know of the free eye camp conducted by Sankara Eye Hospital. At the camp, he was diagnosed with cataract and recommended for a surgery. He was taken to the hospital via Sankara bus and doctors performed the surgery.His life has improved after the surgery. He is back to doing what he loves most and is not dependent on anyone. He is grateful to the doctors at Sankara for giving him a new lease of life. Curable blindness is taken on a war footing at Sankara and people like Ramaswamy have started life afresh.

Chitra, 42 years of age suffered from cataract in both her eyes. She only noticed that her vision was deteriorating when she couldn’t read the numbers on the bus. Being a wage earner, it affected here lifestyle and she wasn’t able to do the daily chores in the house. She learned of the free eye camp conducted by Sankara Eye Foundation and attended it. At the camp, she was diagnosed with cataract and transported to the base hospital for treatment. Post-surgery Chitra is back in the fields taking care of the banana and vegetable cultivation. Sankara’s efforts contribute directly to poverty reduction by reversing decreased productivity and social isolation that people experience when they lose their sight. Needless to say, with better vision and her new-found confidence Chitra’s output has also increased.

Sneha, 12 years old is the older of the twin sisters. She was born a healthy baby, but for the squint in her eye. As she grew older she became a victim of mockery and bullying at school. Her parents were worried that such incidents in her life would affect her adversely. Sankara’s Rainbow program identifies school children for visual defects with the help of teachers and transfers those requiring treatment to the base hospital. Sneha is a beneficiary of this program. At the school screening, doctors identified the squint and recommended her for treatment. At the hospital, a squint correction procedure was performed.Due to Sankara’s comprehensive pediatric and vision examinations, children like Sneha have been spared further psychological trauma. Her parents are overjoyed that their child can fully enjoy her life without the fear of bullying or mockery. They are grateful to the doctors at Sankara Eye Hospital for giving Sneha a fresh start.