Seva partners are ready to see you and your siblings now.
Children inherit many traits – green eyes, curly hair, athletic ability. They can also share vision problems. If one sibling needs glasses due to issues like nearsightedness or cataracts, the others may too.
I was just soaking in the sights and sounds of Bengaluru, India when, bam, I got the call we Pristine 5.0 cameras wait for – the Burundi eye clinic was finally ready for my arrival.
Right now, somewhere in the world, someone is seeing clearly for the first time – thanks to you.
Through Seva, your compassion does more than restore sight. It brings back the sparkle in a child’s eye, the confidence in a mother’s stride, and the independence of a grandfather finding his way again.
This winter, Dr. Natchiar, a founder of Aravind Eye Hospital and a member of Seva’s partnerships in India, was bestowed the prestigious Padma Shri Award 2024 for distinguished contribution and service in the field of medicine.
Photo by Apurva Shroff: At 16 years of age, Arati (on the right with her mother) was diagnosed with diabetes, causing cataracts in both her eyes. After receiving a free cataract surgery she is considering going back to school and continuing her studies!
It’s 2024, and women are still struggling to access equitable health care. How is this? Supporters like you have asked us this question quite a few times and we’re glad you do – we appreciate the hard q’s.
The disparities we’re grappling with are centuries old. Economic barriers, gender politics, and social norms – to name a few – make it difficult for women in developing countries to access eye care.
Seva has worked to untangle and address these challenges for 45 years. From hiring and training local women as eye care professionals who can contribute to the local economy, to gender-responsive outreach and policy advocacy, we work in more than 20 countries to empower and serve women.
Here are a few of the profound ways you are helping Seva to level the playing field for women and girls.
Restoring sight looks different in every area. No two communities, geographies, or cultures are the same – we work closely with local partners to understand what prevents people from accessing eye care and what we can do about it.
Vision Centers (VCs) are one way we achieve this. These local establishments are equipped to meet 80% of all eye care needs, and refer patients who require more specialized care to a partner hospital. In the past five years, through your support, we’ve established 139 VCs in remote areas of the world, creating life-changing access to eye care for millions along the way. Read below for four different types of VCs:
A Seva-supported Vision Center in Madhya Pradesh, India in collaboration with our partner hospital Sadguru Netra Chikitsalaya (SNC).
From education to eyeglasses, from cataract surgery to cameras that diagnose, your support has helped people around the world. Thanks to you, Seva has provided vital eye care services to 57 million people in the world, including more than 6.5 million people in the last year alone. Seva’s vision is a world in which no one lives with avoidable blindness.
You just helped us turn a page in diagnosing eye diseases. You may remember, Seva, in partnership with Remidio Innovative Solutions, developed Pristine 5.0 Retinal Camera (formerly Vistaro) – a revolutionary, wide-field retinal camera that transforms how clinics diagnose conditions affecting the back of the eye.
Why is Pristine 5.0 so important? Most medical devices that image the back of the eye are out of reach for communities. This leaves many blindness-causing infections, including CMV retinitis – commonly found in those living with HIV – to go undiagnosed. Pristine 5.0 is cost-effective, portable, and durable – it could help reduce AIDS-related blindness by half!
We’ve heard from our partners in Ukraine, Mozambique & India who’ve been field-testing the camera – and it’s already making waves in the community. As a Seva supporter, you have played an important part in helping to make this moment in eye tech history possible.
Mr. Ram Prasad Kandel talking with patients after their cataract surgeries.
Ram Prasad Kandel Retires After 25 Years of Caring Service
It’s not hyperbole to say there ain’t no mountain high enough to deter Seva’s Nepal Program Director, Ram Prasad Kandel. For the past 25-plus years, he’s been on the road with Seva, traversing hilly terrain and rough roads in Nepal, India, and Cambodia to support eye camps, establish Vision Centers, and connect with the people who come seeking help.