Seeing is Believing

Dear Donors and Well-Wishers,

Warm greetings from Blind People’s Association (BPA)!

Every day, there are people living with avoidable visual impairment who struggle to access even the most basic eye care. For many, a simple pair of spectacles can make the difference between struggling to see and confidently carrying out daily activities. For others, timely diagnosis and specialised treatment can open the door to a new life of hope and independence.

Through our Seeing Is Believing Project, we are working to bring eye care closer to people who need it most, especially those living in remote rural, tribal, and underserved urban communities.

We are delighted to share the progress we have made this year. To extend our reach, we have established four new vision centres, with a special focus on tribal areas. We have also introduced “Eyes on Wheels,” a dedicated mobile eye care van that brings eye screening services directly to urban slum communities.

During these outreach activities, many women have been identified with refractive errors and have been advised to use spectacles. For some, this may have been their very first eye examination. Imagine living for years with blurred vision, adjusting to the difficulty every day, simply because access to an eye check-up was beyond reach. Sometimes, a small intervention can make an enormous difference.

But the impact of your support goes far beyond numbers, centres, and medical interventions. It is reflected in the lives of people who regain hope, confidence, and the opportunity to live with greater independence.

Today, we are proud to share one such deeply inspiring story.

At the age of 59, Rami Ben had been living with complete blindness in both eyes for nearly two to three years following trauma to her eyes. Despite receiving treatment at other healthcare facilities, her vision did not improve. The darkness affected her everyday life, limiting her independence and making even routine activities difficult.

For years, she lived with the uncertainty of whether she would ever see better again.

Then, she came to Porecha Eye Hospital, Bareja, seeking another opportunity for treatment.

After a detailed examination, the medical team found severe corneal damage in both eyes. Following careful evaluation and counselling, Rami Ben agreed to undergo Optical Penetrating Keratoplasty in her left eye, performed successfully by Dr. Sumit Chatterjee.

What followed brought renewed hope into her life.

Following the surgery, Rami Ben experienced encouraging improvement in her vision. Her happiness at being able to see better was more than a medical outcome; it represented a new opportunity to carry out daily activities with greater confidence and independence. Her progress has also encouraged her to consider surgery on her other eye.

For someone who has lived in darkness for years, improved vision can mean so much more than what medical reports can measure. It can mean greater confidence in familiar surroundings, renewed participation in everyday life, and the possibility of depending less on others.

Rami Ben’s story reminds us that behind every successful treatment is a human life, a family’s hope, and a future that deserves a chance.

We invite you to continue walking alongside us—to help us reach more underserved communities, identify people in need, and connect them with appropriate eye care and treatment.

Because somewhere, a woman may be living with blurred vision without knowing that help is available. Somewhere, an older person may have lost hope of seeing better. Somewhere, a family may be waiting for an opportunity that your support could help make possible.

Together, we can ensure that distance, poverty, and lack of awareness do not stand between a person and the eye care they need.

Thank you for believing in our mission, investing in meaningful change, and helping us bring hope into people’s lives.

With gratitude and warm regards,