Matching Grant #60814
Cataract Surgeries - Zaheerabad, India

This matching grant project funded 500 eye surgeries where cataracts were removed and intra-ocular lenses placed, giving "Rotary's Gift of Sight" to 500 poor people in the south central region of India.

The project also funded refractive eye examinations for 1,000 poor people with poor vision requiring prescription glasses and will provide 1,000 pairs of prescription glasses as well.

Finally, this project will provide 500 pairs of safety glasses for agricultural workers at high risk of eye injury while at work.

In addition to the Rotary Club of Zaheerabad, Andhra Pradesh, India in District 3150, other funding partners are the Blindness Prevention Donor Advised Fund of the Blindness Prevention Rotary Action Group, Rotary District 6060 in eastern Missouri and Rotary District 6170 in Arkansas, USA.

The project sponsors are the Rotary Clubs of Zaheerabad, D3150 and Magnolia, Arkansas, D6170.

 On January 26, 2007, Republic Day for India, a major screening camp was held for our project. More than 500 patients underwent screening. Over 100 patients were selected for surgery, to be done in early February 2007 in nearby Bidar, India. 

 This young woman traveled 120 Km to receive Rotary's Gift of Sight. Her husband is an alcoholic and so she in responsible for raising her son and supporting herself. These efforts have fallen apart since her cataracts have become so mature to eliminate all eyesight.

 
 She has now had her right eye operated on and a new lens placed. Since she is so young, we may proceed to repair her left eye in 3-4 months, to give her every advantage to work and raise her son, who is beginning back to school in the new academic year now.