Jamshedpur, September 22, 2022: Meet Parvati Karmakar, a 30 year old mother of two from Potka who had developed early onset cataracts. While 30 is an early age to develop such conditions, in rural and peri-urban areas of India, they are a very common occurrence. Parvati’s vision had been slowly declining for a few years now and due to the lack of awareness and availability of resources, there was not much she could do about it. The deteriorating condition of her eyesight was causing immense concern and worry for her and her family. Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) holds cataract camps that aim to diagnose and treat such conditions in communities across Jharkhand and Orissa.
Before holding the camp in Potka, trained volunteers with the Foundation hold preemptive community screenings in and around the location of the camp. Parvati was identified through this screening and asked to visit the camp. At the camp, the doctors were able to correctly diagnose her and promptly schedule her for surgery. Three months ago, she underwent her first surgery and a month later, she underwent her second surgery successfully. Parvati has gained substantial visual competence again and is able to live life in full colour and brightness.
The burden of cataract blindness is on the increase as a result of increase in life expectancy and relative shortage of facilities for cataract surgery. In the years to come, the absolute numbers will also be on the rise due to ageing population as these are all largely age related conditions.In an effort to reduce blindness in and around the areas of Jharkhand and Orissa and restore vision of the underserved communities, the Foundation has been organising cataract screening camps and have successfully restored sight of more than 30,000 patients in last ten years through various partners. In an effort to expand the cataract surgery programme Tata Steel Foundation has planned to reduce cataract in specific operational blocks of Jharkhand and Orissa like Potka. Since April, the Foundation has hosted 12 camps in the Potka area operating over 85 affected individuals.
Ramani Bala Singh is another such woman who Tata Steel Foundation reached out to. She is a 50 year old woman from Potka who is a farmer and works daily in fields. She has been suffering for a few years and facing occupational setbacks due to declining eyesight. Due to a lack of resources and financial restraints, she did not have the agency to seek treatment for her condition. Ramani had heard about the cataract camp being held in Potka by the Foundation and decided to get her eyes examined by doctors at the camp. She was immediately diagnosed and treated, with her operation being held soon after. Her eyesight has improved dramatically and she has been able to lead a more comfortable and meaningful life.
