I am Dr. Neeraja Rateria, an Ophthalmologist as well as a Rotarian. For the last 9 yrs I am doing IOL project for my Club Rotary Club of Calcutta Metropolitan, Dist 3291. I am at present working with the MG #62155 in collaboration with your Club Irvine Spectrum Rotary Club. Here are some of the interesting cases that I have operated upon.
A young patient, 18 yrs old came to me with a traumatic cataract in one eye. He had sustained the injury about 8 yrs back and due to lack of funds could not get it operated.
On examination I found that he had a traumatic cataract in one eye with only light projection present. I was a bit reluctant as I felt he may not get very good vision but he insisted that whatever he gets he is willing to accept that.
I did his surgery and implanted an IOL in his eye. Post operatively for the first two days his vision was only 6/60 which improved to 6/9 in 10 days. He was very happy as he had as good a vision in this eye as his normal eye.
A lady, 40 yrs old was brought to my clinic, two people holding her and guiding her through to me.
On examination I found she had lost one eye to small pox and the other one had a large corneal opacity. There was a mature cataract behind the corneal opacity. She insisted that she had enough vision to carry out her normal activities before the onset of cataract.
As a last measure I agreed to operate on her but with a guarded prognosis. Surgery was a bit tough due to the corneal opacity and other complications. But to my surprise after the surgery when the bandage was taken off, she was walking on her own avoiding the furniture in my office and could recognize articles on my table. She was very happy and so was I. It is these patients who make my day.
An old man about 90 yrs old was brought by a local club boys for surgery as they found him sitting outside their club and crying his heart out that he cannot see and does not have enough money to get himself operated. On examination I found he was a frail old man with mature cataracts in both eyes.
On the operation table the man started talking to me in good English. He told me that he was an affluent man earlier and his relatives, taking advantage of his failing vision, made him sign away all his property to them. After this they threw him out of his house. For the last 2 yrs he is literally living on other people’s mercy. When I opened his bandage, he was overjoyed and said Oh! I can see everything now. Now I am capable of fighting a legal battle with my relatives and get back my property from them.
The last I heard from the club members is that he is well on his way to getting back his property and business which is enough to maintain him for the rest of his life.
These are some of the interesting anecdotes but all patients have some story or the other. Most of them cannot afford surgery in private hospitals and have to wait for a long time in Government Hospitals. Through the work that is being done by Rotary Clubs in doing these IOL projects, some of the blind people belonging to the underprivileged section of Society get relief from their suffering.
