Pediatric Cataract Initiative Continues to Save Children's Sight

Ten-year-old Ruma Roy had been living with pediatric cataract for several years. In school, Ruma struggled due to her poor eye sight. With her eye condition worsening, Ruma's parents took her to the Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital in West Bengal, India, where her sight was improved through new equipment provided by a capacity building grant from the Pediatric Cataract Initiative (PCI). The PCI is a collaboration between Bausch + Lomb and LCIF which supports innovative methods for overcoming visual impairments caused by pediatric cataracts and other pediatric eye disease.

Through the PCI, the Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital received a grant of US$150,000 to help children like Ruma. The hospital is creating an early detection and treatment program for pediatric cataract and children's eye health, training ophthalmologists and providing pediatric eye health education to local communities. In addition, 130,000 children will have their vision screened and 200 children will receive sight-restoring cataract surgery, long-term follow-up care and a brighter future.

Celebrating 10 Years of Sight for Kids

LCIF and Johnson & Johnson Vision Care are celebrating 10 years of partnership this year and reaching a vision screening milestone of more than 16 million children through the Sight for Kids program. Sight for Kids addresses childhood visual impairment and blindness in Asia, an area of great need. Led by Lions and local partners, Sight for Kids recruits eye care professionals who train local teachers and Lions clubs members to conduct school-based vision screenings and eye health education in underserved communities. When needed, students are referred to a local eye care professional and receive an eye exam, eyeglasses and further care at no cost. During this anniversary year, the Sight for Kids partners are celebrating accomplishments and also focusing on the program's potential and a new decade of efforts.