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Support for Ophthalmic Equipment

Issue

In India, cataract is the most common cause of blindness. Almost 82 per cent of Indians between the ages of 75 to 83 years suffer from cataract, that might lead to blindness. It is also the leading cause of vision impairment in middle and low-income countries across the world.

Cataract refers to the clouding of the natural lens of the eye which impedes the passage of light, restricting clear vision. While most cataracts are a result of ageing, it can also be developed as a result of eye injuries, inflammation, or other eye diseases. The symptoms of early cataract may be improved with new eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses, or magnifying lenses. If these measures do not help, surgery is the only effective treatment. Surgery involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial one. One of the most common surgical procedures used in the treatment of cataract is called phacoemulsification, also called “small incision cataract surgery.”

Objective

Sankara Nethralaya’s mission is to provide total eye-care solutions of the highest standards to all sections of the community. The Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation helped the hospital in carrying out this mission, by extending its support towards acquiring a Phaco Emulsifier and Ophthalmic Surgical Microscope.

Phaco Emulsifier

Modern cataract surgery is made possible by the use of a complex machine called a Phaco Emulsifier, which breaks the cataract into tiny pieces and then removes those pieces from the eye through a very small incision. Prior to the development of this device, cataracts were removed in one piece, requiring a larger incision, sutures, and additional trauma to the eye.
With the support of the Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya was able to acquire the Phaco Emulsifier, enabling them to offer their patients a procedure that takes less than 15 minutes (per eye), is suture-less and requires a shorter recovery time.

Impact

With the support of the Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya was able to acquire the Phaco Emulsifier, enabling them to offer their patients a procedure that takes less than 15 minutes (per eye), is suture-less and requires a shorter recovery time.

Operating Microscope

The Operating Microscope is used while performing complicated eye surgery under high magnification and with special illumination as the eye is extremely fragile in nature.
The support rendered by the Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation has enabled the Sankara Nethralaya to acquire the Operating Microscope. This enables their surgeons to view highly magnified images of the eye and to carry out complicated procedures with ease. The Operating Microscope also has CCD camera which will enable surgeons at Sankara Nethralaya to document and record important surgeries so that they can be used during patients’ follow up and as education materials.

Impact

The support rendered by the Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation has enabled the Sankara Nethralaya to acquire the Operating Microscope. This enables their surgeons to view highly magnified images of the eye and to carry out complicated procedures with ease. The Operating Microscope also has CCD camera which will enable surgeons at Sankara Nethralaya to document and record important surgeries so that they can be used during patient’s follow up and as education materials.  

About the Organisation

Sankara Nethralaya (SN) is a not-for-profit missionary institution for ophthalmic care in Chennai, India. In Sanskrit, the name of this hospital means ‘temple of the eye’. Nani A. Palkivala, the former Indian ambassador to United States, described it as the “Best managed charitable organisation in India”. Currently, Sankara Nethralaya has 1,000 employees, and serves 1,200 Indian and international patients each day, performing 100 surgeries per day.