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From Salur, With love..
These pictures from the Vision-Aid (Vizag, India) center are from the recently concluded Vision Rehabilitation camp for the school
children of Salur district of Andhra Pradesh , India
These pictures from the Vision-Aid (Vizag, India) center are from the recently concluded Vision Rehabilitation camp for the school
children of Salur district of Andhra Pradesh , India
A report on "Operation Salur" (July 2005)
Background
The Salur Community Development Center (CDC) is a well known NGO located in Salur taluka (district) of Andhra
Pradesh.It extends services like education, family planning and handicapped welfare services to the surrounding
rural populations.
Using funds that It receives funds from Government and private organizations it runs several programs in and
around the Salur rural area. One of these programs is screening and identification of potentially handicapped
school children and arranging help for such children.
Having heard about Vision-Aid CDC Salur contacted us and requested us to handle a large group of school kids
who are identified as being potentially visually impaired. Using a one time grant approved by Vision-Aid (USA) a
rehabilitation camp was organized in end July 2005.
The students are all from lower income to very poor family backgrounds and are studying in free village panchayat
run schools in several (around 10) different villages surrounding the Salur / Vizag region. All of them had notable
vision issues but had not been properly examined or helped before to determine the nature of the vision problems.
Vision-Aid Vizag welcomed this opportunity and agreed to underwrite comprehensive eye evaluation, provision of
subsidized spects , low vision aid-devices and rehabilitation to all the children as per their individual needs.
When the CDC group arrived it turned out to be even larger than we had been originally expected - a total of 23
students and four teacher escorts arrived to spend 2 days at Vizag exclusively for this purpose.
Vision -Aid Vizag arranged free evaluation by Ophthalmologist and Optometrist.
Visionuid bore over 85% of the preliminary eye screening, cost of spectacles assistive devices and rehabilitation,
where provided. Patents were advised to pay a small amount (equivalent of $1) for the spects. Even this nominal
fee was charged because SALUR CDC advisor told us not to provide completely free devices since the children
and their families will "devalue" and potentially misuse a free item . If they pay even a token charge for it they will
tend to use it with greater respect and care. We believe this is a good policy.
The "operation"
Day 1- Full day was spent with ophthalmologist exam and all 23 students were individually screened and certified
3 of the children were diagnosed as early cataract Parents were refereed to surgeon in an outside facility since we
don't handle such cases.
17 students needed spects ( including some mag spects which are not commercially available and can only be
prescribed by an Optometrist like we are able to do ) .
A total of 10 children were determined to be low vision cases (cannot be restored fully by glasses , medicine or
surgery). They were all asked to come back on the next day for LV counseling and Rehab.
Day 2 - was spent in detailed LV exam of the 10 students . All 10 were recommended devices and three of them
required special rehab. since the visual impairment was severe.
Spectacles are already collected.Some devices were provided and other Devices (primarily telescopic spotting
devices) will be given when received next month from Hong Kong LVRC.
Conclusion
CDC as well as teachers/parents were gratefully surprised at the comprehensive operation. CDC gave a letter of
appreciation and their Director will come and meet Vision-Aid Vizag soon to discuss long term partnerships for
vision screening of children in their area. In the words of leader teacher" Half of my students can now see and read
better". "Nearly a quarter of them are able to see meaningfully for the first time and are promoted from the category
of being "virtual blind" to "can see and read"
This visit received local publicity (including prime time coverage on cable TV) and now other NGO's like JKC
Parvatipuram requesting us to handle their vision- problematic students . Details are being worked out.
Background
The Salur Community Development Center (CDC) is a well known NGO located in Salur taluka (district) of Andhra
Pradesh.It extends services like education, family planning and handicapped welfare services to the surrounding
rural populations.
Using funds that It receives funds from Government and private organizations it runs several programs in and
around the Salur rural area. One of these programs is screening and identification of potentially handicapped
school children and arranging help for such children.
Having heard about Vision-Aid CDC Salur contacted us and requested us to handle a large group of school kids
who are identified as being potentially visually impaired. Using a one time grant approved by Vision-Aid (USA) a
rehabilitation camp was organized in end July 2005.
The students are all from lower income to very poor family backgrounds and are studying in free village panchayat
run schools in several (around 10) different villages surrounding the Salur / Vizag region. All of them had notable
vision issues but had not been properly examined or helped before to determine the nature of the vision problems.
Vision-Aid Vizag welcomed this opportunity and agreed to underwrite comprehensive eye evaluation, provision of
subsidized spects , low vision aid-devices and rehabilitation to all the children as per their individual needs.
When the CDC group arrived it turned out to be even larger than we had been originally expected - a total of 23
students and four teacher escorts arrived to spend 2 days at Vizag exclusively for this purpose.
Vision -Aid Vizag arranged free evaluation by Ophthalmologist and Optometrist.
Visionuid bore over 85% of the preliminary eye screening, cost of spectacles assistive devices and rehabilitation,
where provided. Patents were advised to pay a small amount (equivalent of $1) for the spects. Even this nominal
fee was charged because SALUR CDC advisor told us not to provide completely free devices since the children
and their families will "devalue" and potentially misuse a free item . If they pay even a token charge for it they will
tend to use it with greater respect and care. We believe this is a good policy.
The "operation"
Day 1- Full day was spent with ophthalmologist exam and all 23 students were individually screened and certified
3 of the children were diagnosed as early cataract Parents were refereed to surgeon in an outside facility since we
don't handle such cases.
17 students needed spects ( including some mag spects which are not commercially available and can only be
prescribed by an Optometrist like we are able to do ) .
A total of 10 children were determined to be low vision cases (cannot be restored fully by glasses , medicine or
surgery). They were all asked to come back on the next day for LV counseling and Rehab.
Day 2 - was spent in detailed LV exam of the 10 students . All 10 were recommended devices and three of them
required special rehab. since the visual impairment was severe.
Spectacles are already collected.Some devices were provided and other Devices (primarily telescopic spotting
devices) will be given when received next month from Hong Kong LVRC.
Conclusion
CDC as well as teachers/parents were gratefully surprised at the comprehensive operation. CDC gave a letter of
appreciation and their Director will come and meet Vision-Aid Vizag soon to discuss long term partnerships for
vision screening of children in their area. In the words of leader teacher" Half of my students can now see and read
better". "Nearly a quarter of them are able to see meaningfully for the first time and are promoted from the category
of being "virtual blind" to "can see and read"
This visit received local publicity (including prime time coverage on cable TV) and now other NGO's like JKC
Parvatipuram requesting us to handle their vision- problematic students . Details are being worked out.
(c) Copyright, 2004. Vision-Aid. All Rights Reserved.
Vision-Aid
A 501(c)(3) Non Profit Organization serving the visually disadvantaged in Under-Served Areas
A 501(c)(3) Non Profit Organization serving the visually disadvantaged in Under-Served Areas