A step closer to care

CHENNAI: Exposure to light, translation of visual information into electric information, and the progression of a mere image into a cohesive visual map – the layered processes that enable one’s sense of sight has been a matter of important discussion; especially now, amid the pandemic, where spiking virtual interactions and increased screen time have become the new normal.

“This over-usage of gadgets and change in lifestyle have been affecting the optical health of people across genders and age groups,” said Mohan Rajan, chairman and medical director of Rajan Eye Care Hospital (RECH), to CE, on the sidelines of the inauguration of a stateof- the-art eye care centre (managed by RECH) at the Rotary Central Margaret Sidney Hospital, Nanganallur.

The vision, Rajan detailed, was to offer accessible, available, and affordable ophthalmology services to the residents living in and around the locality. “The neighbourhoods of Madipakkam, Alandur, Velachery and Nanganallur have a dearth of specialised eye care centres and professionals. So, during the pandemic, we wanted to ensure that eye care reaches everyone in need of it.

Along with the Rotary Club of Madras Central (RCMC), we decided to set up an eye care centre here and upgrade the technology and techniques of the department,” he shared, talking about the new centre, opened in association with RCMC and Ganesh Mandeli Engine Valves Trust.

According to a report published by the National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB), India is home to a third of the world’s blind populace. The country has around 12 million individuals with visual impairment as against the worldwide aggregate of 39 million.

“The spike is quite alarming and we are, through such initiatives, attempting to help patients in screening, identifying and correcting their refractive errors and other visual impairments before it’s too late, and providing rehabilitation,” he added. An eye operation theatre, consultation room, investigation room and an in-house optical store were inaugurated as part of the event.

Rtn PDG Abirami Ramanathan presided as the chief guest. Guest of honour Rtn DGE J Sridhar, president of RCMC Supriya Sundarraman; director (CSH) of RCMC Rtn P Srinivasan; secretary of RCMC KP Srikumar; Rtn M Gopinath, and executive director of RECH Sujatha Mohan, among others, were part of the event.