No Age Limit for Joy Restored
For 90-year-old Bishnu Maya Khadka from Chuchure Village in Nepal, it was the Himalayas that anchored her world; their beauty, their power, their mystery. Until she lost her sight to cataracts.
For those living in the shadows of the Himalayas, the sight of the majestic mountains greet them each morning and bid them sweet dreams each night. Poets have grappled with finding the words to adequately describe their power and mystery. Authors have used this muse to write tomes of adventure. Painters’ brushes have captured the feeling of insignificance standing at the mountains’ massive base.
For 90-year-old Bishnu Maya Khadka from Chuchure Village in Nepal, it was the Himalayas that anchored her world; their beauty, their power, their mystery. Until she lost her sight to cataracts.
“I long to see the vibrant colors of my countryside, the faces of my loved ones and the beauty of nature in all its glory,” Bishnu tells an HCP team member at a recent outreach. She came to the outreach because she’d heard there would be doctors who could give her back her sight.
She wanted the ability to take care of herself and to free her family from the responsibilities of managing her daily activities. At 90, she still has plenty of living left.
Bishnu is one of many helped by HCP Cureblindness with long-time partner the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology (TIO) at a recent outreach. The partners held eye screenings at multiple locations to make it easier for patients in remote villages to seek care. Those needing cataract surgery were referred to the doctor.
In total, the medical team made up of six paramedics, one senior surgeon and a half dozen community volunteers screened nearly 2000 individuals and performed 50 cataract surgeries.
HCP co-founder Dr. Sanduk Ruit innovated the technique of small incision cataract surgery (SICS) used at these rural outreaches. It involves making a microscopic cut into the eye, pulling out the cloudy cataract and inserting a permanent intraocular lens. The entire procedure takes minutes. Patients are usually discharged the following day and return for a post-operative check the following week.
A screening identified Bishnu as a surgical candidate with a mature cataract in her right eye that severely affected her vision. As soon as the doctor removed Bishnu’s eye bandages, a big smile lit up her face. “I see this as a second chance to live life and truly thankful to the medical miracle that can transform people’s lives,” she grinned.
And to see her beloved Himalayas again. Bishnu looks forward to the sights of her beautiful surroundings and being able to enjoy the simple tasks of life such as cooking and working in fields.
