Fourth Project of International Co-operation with India
Date: 1st January to 10th February 2007
Place: Kerala County
Counterpart: Co-operation with the “Amrita Institute of Medical Siences (AIMS) in Kollam district (Kerala) in the city of Ernakulam
Project Manager in AIMS Hospital: Dr Ragavendra
Ofthalmologist Chief of the Hospital : DRA. Lilanbach
With the collaboration of Filokalia Foundation of Spain
Surgeries Done : 257 cataracts
Funding: private sponsors who paid the operations
Optometrist: Mª Isabel Signes Soler,Alicante
Assistant: Bernd Fischer, Alicante
Coordination and Direction of the Project: Mª Isabel Signes Soler, Alicante
SURGERIES DONE IN AIMS: 257 EYES
The Project had two parts:
1. To review the sight of the population affected by the tsunami, mainly for the detection of cataracts and to make arrangements for later surgery.
Several “eye camps” were carried out in different areas of southern India, where people with general visual problems live. The team compromised 2 opthalmologists, 3 optometrists and several volunteers. Visual acuity, tension and eye health were given to the patients. Those detected with cataracts were listed for later surgery and optical tests was given to the needy ones. If only a pair of glasses was required the prescription was made.
2. To Follow -up the “Sponsors Eyes” project developed in AIMS Cochi Hospital (Kerala).
Cataracts surgeries were carried out in the ophthalmological operating room of the hospital. All patients were implanted with an afáquica intraocular lens. Operations were planned for specific days where the operating room was available, an average of 12 eyes were operated on per day. Among all patients with cataract found in the rural areas that we were visiting, the most in need were selected for a completely free operation by the team of the same hospital. All opthalmologists participating in the project did it as voluntarily work. The costs of lenses and medicines were covered by the eyes sponsors of Visió Sense Fronteres ". The average price per sponsor was 70 euros.
