Save 50,000 Pakistani children from blindness

CURRENT PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT

April, 2016 to June, 2016

Uncorrected refractive error is the main cause of low vision and the second major cause of  blindness. And estimated 153 million people are visually impaired due to uncorrected refractive error of whom, 8 million are blind. Refractive errors are disorders, not a disease, this order is easily correctable. While correct lense and refractive surgeries are among the refractive solutions for refractive error, it remain the most affordable solution that can be effectively dispensed to the large undeserved school going children.

The study was done on a student age 5 years to 15 years, from – randomly selected urban as well as rural schools in and around Khyber Pakhunkhwa. Formal permission was taken from the principal of these schools and the list of all students was taken with their age 5 to 15 years (Class 1 -10) and address. Are detailed ocular history was taken about present and past ocular along with history of used of spectacles. The prevalence of uncorrected refractive error, especially myopia, was higher in urban children.

Childhood blindness and visual impairment are as important and perhaps more devastating and disabling then a adult on set because of the long span of life still reaming to be live. School - age children constitute of particularly vulnerable where uncorrected refractive error put dramatic impact on learning capability and educational potential.

The school eye health program team of  Khyber Eye foundation is continuing visiting the schools in district Charsadda and carrying out the training of teacher and screening of students to find out refractive error in the students. The team during the period has visited 25 schools and screened out 1356 students, 254 teachers were trained to carry out screening / vision students. Total of 862 students were diagnosed as refractive error and were issued spectacles free of cost worth of 1210 US$. The project team is visiting to all those schools where poor and underprivileged student are studying whose parents can’t afford to take their children to the doctor for checking their eye sight.

Story of a young girl who had refractive error and how her life changed after she was issued spectacles by the project team.

Miss Naima is living in the remote area of District Charsadda with her parents and studying in Class 1 in Government Primary School station Korona Charsada. She has 2 brothers  and 3 sisters. Her father is a daily wages laborer and has a very meager source of income and can not afford to take her children to any hospital for vision testing on regular basis. The school eye health Program team of Khyber Eye Foundation visited her school and was informed by her teacher that she is very weak in her studies and can’t read from the black board. The refractionist carried out the refraction of miss naima and found that her vision was 6/60 of both eyes while with the correction her vision came to 6/6 of both eyes. She was provided spectacles free of cost. Now after receiving her spectacles she can read from the black board and became the confident student.

Khyber Eye Foundation is very thankful to his donors for donating and request to donate maximum so that the future of poor school going children is secured.

 Raised                          $ 3523

Remaining                   $ 45977