Eye Surgery in the Himalayas – London Vision Clinic Foundation Work
Just a few decades ago, the idea of a minutes-long, painless procedure that can eliminate the dependence on glasses for years to come might have seemed like a concept based in science fiction. And yet, today, Laser Eye Surgery is among the most common elective procedures, with tens of millions of people now enjoying its benefits.
The London Vision Clinic Foundation
In 2007, the London Vision Clinic Foundation was established to help bring this incredible treatment to those who need it most. The initiative aims to provide a solution for people who are visually impaired simply because they lack the practical or financial means to have their vision corrected.
Around half of visual impairment in the developing world could be preventable with simple treatments and corrective aids. More than two-thirds of visually impaired people in developing countries remain unable to see clearly simply because they can’t afford glasses. In many cases, this can leave people unable to work and, therefore, unable to support themselves and their families.
Vision Impairment in the Himalayas
Having long held a dream of helping to provide the gift of sight to those in less fortunate circumstances, our founder and expert Laser Eye Surgeon, Professor Dan Reinstein, was on a mission to create a humanitarian Laser Eye Surgery initiative when the London Vision Clinic Foundation officially launched in 2010.
The Foundation’s partnership with the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Kathmandu aimed to facilitate a transfer of skills and training to the benefit of some of the poorest people in Nepal. Following the launch of the project, the Tilganga Institute soon became the first provider of Laser Eye Surgery treatments in Nepal.
The life expectancy for someone who becomes blind in Nepal is less than three years…
In the foothills of the highest mountain range in the world – the Himalayas – live 70 million people. Many of these live and work at altitudes that can pose a real threat to the human body. For example, in the Doramba region of Nepal, residents are vulnerable to high levels of UV radiation that pierce the thin mountain air and threaten their eyesight.
Such exposure to UV rays can contribute to the development of a number of sight-threatening eye problems, including glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts.
In 2010, we spoke to then-65-year-old Tatini in the village of Balau. Like many people throughout history, Tatini had developed cataracts, but unlike most people in the developed world, she was unable to access the routine treatment that could have saved her vision. As a result, Tatini was living with virtual blindness.
Tatini was determined not to let blindness interfere with her life, but simple tasks such as fetching water would take longer and even be treacherous.
Fortunately, an initiative from Dr Sanduk Ruit, himself from Kathmandu, pioneered a method of eye surgery that would bring treatment to even the remotest corners of the Himalayas.
After three years of blindness, Tatini received treatment at Dr Ruit’s mobile surgery.
Her treatment took place at the improvised operating theatre, and within just half an hour, Dr Ruit had removed Tatini’s fogged lenses and replaced them with synthetic lenses he manufactures himself – all without her having to pay a single rupee.
Dr Sanduik Ruit launched the Himalayan Cataract Project alongside Dr Geoff Tabin with the aim of eradicating as much preventable blindness as possible in their lifetimes. In doing so, they proved that hospital-quality standards can be applied in remote and underdeveloped areas – even those lacking access to electricity and clean water.
The Work of the London Vision Clinic Foundation
Dr Ruit’s mobile clinic aimed to help thousands of others like Tatini by providing routine vision correction, and we wanted to help. In 2010, we partnered with the Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) and cureblindness.org to help combat the global problem of preventable vision impairment.
In 2009, Professor Dan Reinstein was appointed as Director of Refractive Surgery on the Medical Advisory Board of Cureblindness.org; his unique expertise and experience as a leading authority in surgical training, research, and the systematisation of high-volume, high-quality laser refractive surgery fit perfectly with the underlying philosophy of the Himalayan Cataract Project.
Since the launch of the London Vision Clinic Foundation, together with the help of the Georg and Emily von Opel Foundation, and a personal donation from Amer Al-Tajir and family, we have sponsored the clinical training and purchasing of a surgical suite, which helped make high-quality laser refractive surgery at Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology possible.
Moreover, Tilganga’s own Dr Kishore Pradhan and a number of other staff members were trained by London Vision Clinic, both on-site in Kathmandu and London. The Kathmandu laser refractive suite is now fully equipped with Carl Zeiss Meditec’s state-of-the-art MEL90 and VisuMax lasers and NexTech systems, so our own protocols and templates can be easily implemented.
We’re proud to be part of some of the incredible initiatives bringing essential vision treatments to those who need them most.
To learn more about the London Vision Clinic Foundation, get in touch today. Alternatively, if you’re interested in our range of refractive treatments, Book a Consultation today.
