This universe is filled with wonders, with lush green valleys and sparkling blue streams. Nature has its beauty, and undoubtedly, God is a phenomenal painter. We can witness this beauty as we are the blessed ones, but millions of children in the world cannot see God’s alluring fabrication. In almost 50% of cases of blindness worldwide, cataract has proven to be the primary cause. Cataract blindness is seen not just in adults but in children as well.
In this regard, the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation has taken the initiative to eradicate childhood blindness in millions of kids globally. Their reach extends to the poorest of communities worldwide, and they are on the path to rebuilding such communities through direct interventions.
About Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation
The partnership between Mr. Tej Kohli, skilled at funding initiatives, and Dr. Sanduk Ruit, who specializes in performing cataract operations within affordable budgets. By 2030, the foundation aims to screen a million people and treat between 300,000 and 500,000 cataract patients.Â
The Tej Kohli and the Ruit Foundation directly bear 100% of their operating costs to ensure unhindered operations in the foundation. This campaign and noble initiative has helped adults and children live their best lives through their own eyes.
Cataract in Children
Cataracts cause the most visual damage in children with reversible blindness. Children with untreated, visually severe cataracts risk being blind for their whole lives, incurring a substantial personal and societal loss.
Due to untreated cataracts, complications following cataract surgery, or visual abnormalities related to cataracts, more than 200,000 children are blind, as per the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Many more kids have partial cataracts, which may develop gradually over time and worsen their vision as they age. During the formative years, the cumulative risk of cataracts is as high as 1 per 1,000.
Childhood cataract treatment is time-consuming and frequently challenging, needing numerous visits over many years. A committed team effort is necessary for success, and this team often consists of parents, doctors who provide primary care, surgeons, anesthesiologists, technicians, orthoptists, low-vision rehabilitation specialists, and community health workers.
Cataracts in Poverty-Induced Countries
Cataracts in children in poverty-induced countries can be a significant health concern. Cataracts are characterized by clouding the eye’s natural lens, leading to impaired vision. When left untreated in children, cataracts can cause lifelong vision impairment and even blindness.
Congenital cataract is the most common cause of vision impairment in children in low-income nations, although retinopathy of prematurity is more common in middle-income countries.
Three-quarters of the world’s blind children reside in the most underdeveloped parts of Africa and Asia, with few eye care specialists, as the WHO reported. According to research by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, sub-Saharan Africa has a “critical shortage” of optometry experts.
Why Do Children in Poverty-Stricken Countries Get Cataracts?
As per a research from The Guardian, more children are surviving complex births in low- and middle-income nations, contributing to the rise in children with preventable blindness. About 12 million of the 19 million blind children under 15 who live in the world can be prevented or treated.
Some parents who sent their kids to clinics covered up the fact that they had previously seen traditional healers. It is a family matter. Since cataracts run in the family, some believe they must kill a goat. Medication from conventional healers is utilized. A little water is used to smash the herbs. The last option for those battling sickness is biomedicine. The superstitions and lack of knowledge are also promoting cataracts in poor countries.
Eye disease has fallen down the list of health priorities in southern Africa, according to Susan Levine of the University of Cape Town, who performed research for Orbis in Zambia. The extent to which reduced vision or blindness affected people just as much—if not more—than other infectious disorders, however, was revealed by the research.
Cataracts As a Preventable Disease in Children
The most common preventable cause of curable childhood blindness is cataracts. Around the world, 200,000 kids are considered blind from cataracts, while 20,000 to 40,000 kids are born yearly with developing bilateral cataracts. This was stated in the records of the National Library of Medicine. Improved early case detection and referral services are required, and centers with competence in the evaluation, surgical treatment, and long-term management of children with cataracts need to be established in developing nations.
Even in youth, especially in underdeveloped areas, cataracts are a severe and avoidable condition despite being frequently linked with aging. Cataracts in children can develop in several low-income nations due to hunger, poor access to treatment, and exposure to environmental dangers. The most concerning factor is that, if ignored, young cataracts might result in blindness or lifelong visual impairment, negatively impacting a child’s chances of success in school and in general.
In these areas, preventing childhood cataracts necessitates a multifaceted strategy that involves raising awareness, enhancing access to inexpensive, high-quality healthcare, enhancing nutrition, and training medical personnel. By addressing these problems, we can drastically lower the prevalence of preventable pediatric cataracts in underdeveloped areas and provide these kids with a brighter, more transparent future.
Impact of Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation in Fighting for This Noble Cause
The Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation has been at the forefront of efforts to prevent and treat cataracts, particularly in children in underdeveloped nations. Their impeccable work spans three countries—Ghana, Bhutan, and Nepal. The foundation has performed over 45,500 cataract operations and screened 270,158 individuals through 108 outreach camps, making a transformative impact.
Dr. Ruit’s mission was centered on his dedication to streamlining cataract surgery and improving its affordability and accessibility. He is rightly known as the God of sight. His ground-breaking surgical technique improved efficacy and changed the face of global eye care. Dr. Ruit’s method significantly increased the number of patients who could receive treatment without sacrificing quality by cutting surgical timeframes from 45 minutes to an astounding seven minutes.
Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation — A Ray of Hope
In a world where medical advancements redefine what is possible, the work of the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation serves as a light of hope. Their dedication to preventing and treating cataracts in children in underdeveloped nations is a role model for tackling urgent global health issues with creativity and compassion. The investment made by Mr. Tej Kohli and his family in curing and preventing eye diseases is a blessing on earth for many people.
The partnership between Mr. Tej Kohli, a visionary in funding initiatives, and Dr. Sanduk Ruit, a pioneering cataract surgeon, has ignited a remarkable movement to combat childhood cataracts in underprivileged regions.Â
Their combined efforts, supported by their foundation, have already transformed the lives of thousands and set ambitious goals for the future. Their work underscores the profound impact that innovative medical approaches and commitment can have on global blindness challenges, bringing light and hope to those who need it most.
