Jalna, India cataract surgery project

In conjunction with the Rotary Club of Boulder, Colorado and the Rotary Club of Jalna-Central, India, our club helped obtain a Rotary Foundation matching grant to provide 200 cataract surgeries for patients from villages near Jalna, India. Click here for a poster describing the project (PDF format).

On March 20, 2010, the first screening camp for possible cataract surgery candidates was conducted in the village of Antarwali Rathi, according to information received from Ritesh Mishra of the Rotary Club of Jalna-Central. Another screening camp was scheduled in May 2010. As of early May, 111 cataract surgeries already had been performed.

Ritesh Mishra related this story of one cataract surgery: "It feels so good when an elderly person, who is unable to walk, is brought from his house, put into a car and taken to the camp. The person was so happy to get his eyes tested, as he had bad vision for many years. His family members were not aware of the reason for his bad vision and never cared to get it examined. After the man came to the screening camp, the team of optometrists and doctors examined him, and he was told that he would need a surgery and it would be done free of cost. The old man's vision has improved, and he is able to see the beautiful world once again. He bestowed his blessings on us and said that we 'are really doing godly work.' "

The photographs below are from the first cataract screening camp on March 20, 2010:

Patients gathered for the camp

Entrance to the camp

Patients in line for their examinations

Doctors and Rotarians working with patients

Doctor examines a patient

Doctor examines a patient

Rotary members and doctors work with patients

Rotary members shown with some post-surgery patients