Media Contacts
Lelin Kandel
[email protected]
858-371-1593
Phillip Sontag
[email protected]
917-446-4123
(Kathmandu, Nepal) May 2025 - Nearly three decades ago, when Dr. Sanduk Ruit and his team proposed the idea of producing high-quality intraocular lenses (IOLs) in Nepal, they were met with skepticism and criticism. The vision was dismissed as overly ambitious, an idea too bold for a developing country. Undeterred, Dr. Ruit and his team pursued their mission to establish a facility that could produce IOLs on par with leading global manufacturers. Today, the lenses manufactured at Tilganga’s IOL Laboratory have been implanted in over 6.5 million eyes across the globe — a powerful testament to what determination and innovation can achieve.
Dr. Ruit is embarking on a multi-city tour across the US addressing audiences about this humanitarian initiative and future plans to expand the facility. Expansion will allow the production of more high-quality IOLs for the treatment of those with avoidable blindness.
Dr. Sanduk Ruit US Speaking Tour Dates (Public Invited)
Unless noted, all events are free to attend.
May 17 (2-5pm): Washington DC
Fairfax Church of Christ
3901 Rugby Road, Fairfax
https://tinyurl.com/DrRuitInVirginia
May 18 (5:30-8pm): West Palm Beach/Miami
Wellington Community Center
12150 Forest Hill Blvd, Wellington
https://floridanepalese.org/fundraising-dinner-with-dr-sanduk-ruit/
May 22 (7-8:30pm): Boston
594 Washington Street, Braintree
https:/tinyurl.com/DrRuitinBoston
May 23 (6-8pm): NYC Community College Group
Mainstage Theater of LaGuardia Performance Arts Center
31-10 Thomson Ave, Long Island City
https://tinyurl.com/DrRuitInNewYork
May 25 (6-9pm): Baltimore
$100 dinner ticket pp
1700 Van Bibber Rd, Edgewood, MD
https://tinyurl.com/DrRuitInMaryland
May 31 (5-8pm): Dallas
The University of Texas at Arlington
Rosebud Theater, 300 W. 1st Street, Arlington
https://tinyurl.com/drruit
June 1 (3:30-6:30pm): Raleigh, NC
309 Aviation Pkwy, Morrisville, NC
https://tinyurl.com/drruitinraleigh
June 2 (6-8pm): Charlotte, NC
UNCC Charlotte
9119 University Rd, Charlotte, NC
https://tinyurl.com/DrRuitInCharlotte
The Impact of Tilganga’s IOL Laboratory
Since its establishment in 1994, Tilganga’s IOL lab has accomplished extraordinary milestones:
- Production of over 6.5 million lenses distributed to more than 40 countries across Asia,
- Africa, and South America, significantly benefiting marginalised communities.
- Annual production of 300,000 lenses, helping to meet the growing demand for
- affordable eye care.
- Achieving ISO certification and CE marking, ensuring compliance with global safety and
- quality standards.
- Supporting high-volume cataract surgery campaigns in remote areas, restoring sight to
- thousands within days.
Expanding for the Future: The Hetauda Project
To build on this legacy, Tilganga is planning a major expansion to Hetauda. This new facility will increase production capacity and introduce premium lens types to serve a broader international market while maintaining the focus on affordability for low-income populations.
Operating as a profit not distributing industry, the expanded lab will reinvest earnings to sustain and enhance its humanitarian mission. Key goals of the planned Hetauda IOL facility include:
- Doubling production capacity to meet the increasing global demand for IOLs.
- Introducing premium lenses, creating opportunities for financial sustainability and competitive participation in international markets.
- Generating employment opportunities and contributing to the local economy in Hetauda.
- Positioning Nepal as a global leader in eye care innovation.
While Tilganga has been able to source the land required to build the facility, the project requires an estimated investment of approximately USD 5.2 million to build and operationalise the facility.
Today, more than 6.5 million individuals have been cured of blindness owing to Tilganga’s IOL lab. The planned expansion in Hetauda is an opportunity to amplify this impact, ensuring that no one remains blind because of the high cost of care, while elevating Nepal as a global leader in eye innovation. The success of this plant will position Nepal on the international stage for the manufacturing of high-precision devices with reproducible results.
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About Cure Blindness Project
Founded as Himalayan Cataract Project, Cure Blindness Project today celebrates 30 years of restoring sight. This singular mission expanded from its origins in Nepal to 30 countries with high-quality eye care, education, and world-class eye care infrastructure. Together with partners, Cure Blindness Project has provided over 1.6 million sight-restoring surgeries and provided screening and basic care to over 16.5 million people.
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