Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation Our motto: Preventing Needless Blindness! Blindness is an unfortunate occurrence and if the blindness could have been easily averted altogether, it becomes all the more tragic. There are three main causes of such Needless Blindness that continue to remain blinding in India today, thanks to poverty and/or lack of awareness. To list them: ROP, Refractive errors in children and Diabetic retinopathy. ROP: There are certain unique problems that a child that is born preterm faces, when compared to its more fortunate bretheren that are born after completion of ten months. One such problem is Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) which if untreated or treated late results in blindness in 50% of cases. ROP is the commonest cause of childhood blindness in the west. In India, too its prevalence is on the rise. The incidence of ROP in various Indian studies varies from 38% to 51.9% and currently, we are facing what is called the third epidemic of ROP in the world today with middle income countries such as India contributing to a major part of the disease burden. Management of ROP is a teamwork between committed eye specialists, sensitized paediatricians, diligent paramedical staff, efficient social workers and compliant parents. The need of the hour is recognition of the infants who are at risk and prompt treatment. Refractive errors in children: Currently 5% of school going children in India need to wear glasses. Thanks to changing life style, this percentage is on the rise. This has been our experience as well, after the perusal of the data collected at the school eye screening camps
conducted by us. In fact the incidence is 30% in the camps conducted by us! If this refractive error remains uncorrected it affects the child s vision and overall physical and mental development. Such children are also wrongly dubbed as being dull or unintelligent at school. It is hence of paramount importance that such children are identified and the best way to achieve this is, school screening camps conducted at the school premises itself! Diabetic Retinopathy: Diabetes is on the rise and very soon India will become the diabetic capital of the world as per experts. A diabetic is 25 times more likely to become blind than a non-diabetic. Only a very small percentage of the diabetic patients are referred for an eye examination to rule out diabetic retinopathy (a sight threatening affection by diabetes of the retina: the light sensitive layer of our eyes). Diabetic retinopathy occurs in 18% of the diabetic population, with treatable retinopathy occurring in 7% (rural) to 13% (urban) of the diabetic population. Not all ophthalmologists in India are trained to detect and treat Diabetic Retinopathy. India's VISION-2020 - The Right to Sight Programme has clearly stated Diabetic Retinopathy as one of the priority areas. Unfortunately, most of the present day eye camps focus on correction of refractive errors and cataracts alone. Radhatri Nethralaya, a Chennai based tertiary eye hospital launched its charitable trust Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation (GVRF) on the occasion of its first anniversary on September 13 th 2009. The trust was started with the sincere hope of eliminating the above mentioned three principal causes of needless blindness. The trust has made provisions for free screening and treatment of infants with ROP belonging to the lower strata of the society, conducts extensive school screening camps including corporation schools and Anganwadis, and spearheads awareness about diabetic retinopathy through
speciality diabetic eye disease camps and awareness talks. In addition general eye camps wherein patients with cataracts are brought in from villages and slums, operated, kept overnight and dropped back the next day are also carried out under the aegis of the trust. The trust also proposes to ensure life long free eye treatment for children belonging to orphanages as well as mentally challenged children. As a long term goal, the trust also proposes to further combat the menace of ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity) by screening the infants in hitherto unscreened rural areas in Tamilnadu, by procuring the RETCAM Shuttle, a wide-field Digital portable imaging camera and using Tele-Ophthalmology to identify babies with ROP in the remote villages of Tamilnadu. The trust has created a corpus fund for this purpose. Our journey so far... Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation joined hands with Rotary through Rotary club of Chennai Towers (RCCT) and started the RADAR project (RAdhatri Nethralaya Diabetic retinopathy project in Association with Rotary club of Chennai towers) in 2011 which was inaugurated by the then District Governor of Rotary District 3230 Rtn Sampath. The trust since its inception, has so far conducted 27 Diabetic retinopathy screening camps (including the annual Project RADAR at Athiyandal village, Tiruvannamalai District from 2012 wherein 906 patients have been seen and treated so far and a month long free diabetic eye disease camp at Radhatri Nethralaya). 112 general eye camps (in which patients with cataracts are brought in from villages operated, kept overnight and dropped back the next day) and 165 school screening camps under Project RAYS (RAdhatri Nethralaya Sight saving project for the Young) have also been carried out till date. Free cataract surgeries have been carried out for 105 patients under the aegis of the trust so far.
In addition a team goes to anganwadis in Chennai every Wednesday from 2012 to screen the under fiveyear-olds. Weekly free screening and free treatment of preterm infants at the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (IOG) and Institute of Child Health (ICH), both being Government children s hospitals, for ROP has been carried out from 2007-2008 individually by Dr. Vasumathy Vedantham (the managing trustee of Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation and director of Radhatri Nethralaya) and from 2009 till date under the aegis of Gurupriya vision Research Foundation. RSRM and Stanley Government hospitals (since 2012) and Kilpauk Medical college from April 2014 are the other govt. hospitals where free screening and treatment of infants with ROP has been started by the trust. We welcome volunteers and philanthropic organizations to come forward and help us in this effort to prevent needless blindness and all this will work only if we work together! For More Information please contact Dr. Vasumathy Vedantham MS, DNB, FRCS Managing Trustee, Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation 12, Hindi Prachara Sabha Street, T. Nagar, Chennai-600017. E mail: drvasumathy@gmail.com, Ph: (044) 24332229, (044) 24311550, 91-9442631370 PAN No of the trust: AABTG3661J (Please note that donations to the trust are exempted from income tax as per 80-G of the income tax act (DIT (E) No. 2 (683) 09-10, Dated: 28.04.2010)
Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation Activity Report : April 2014-March 2015 1.) Free Cataract surgery camps for the public Patients awaiting discharge after free cataract surgery under the aegis of Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation at Radhatri Nethralaya
Articles in press about the free eye checkup for women above 40 years in Radhatri Nethralaya under the aegis of Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation to commemorate Women s Day.
We, from Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation continued our public camps in villages around Chennai and in slums in Chennai. In this regard, we worked with NGOS such as Bharat Vikas Parishad, Rotary district 3230, Lions International and the Corporation of Chennai. For our effort we have received letters of appreciation from these organizations.
Appreciation letter from District Governor, Rotary District 3230
How we do the camps: We go to the villages and slums and public places such as parks and check patients for eye problems. Glasses are prescribed. Those requiring cataract surgery are brought in our van to the base hospital, Radhatri Nethralaya. Here the patients are first given food. Digital Biometry is done to calculate the Intraocular lens (IOL) power. All the patients undergo state of the art sutureless phacoemulsification surgery with IOL implantation the same day. They are given overnight accommodation and dinner at the hospital. The patients have breakfast the next day at the hospital. They undergo postoperative checkup by the operating surgeon. They are dropped back in the hospital van to their villages/place of screening. All these are done totally free. Copy of Invitation of a public camp with participation from Radhatri Nethralaya
Dr. Vasumathy Vedantham, managing trustee GPVRF, checking the eyes of a patient (pic taken at the camp done at Ammanapakkam on 09/03/15)
Patients being counselled about eye problems, medicines being put in the eye, being checked for defects in vision (pics taken at Koovathur village camp, 20/07/14)
Camp surgery patients awaiting dilatation of eyes, (pics taken at Radhatri Nethralaya, on 31/01/15)
Camp patients being given food at Radhatri Nethralaya (31/01/14, Redhills camp) Camp patients after surgery at Radhatri Nethralaya Camp patients for first postop review with post-op goggles at Radhatri
Patients being evaluated for cataract by doctor (pics taken at Kothiapakkam camp, on 29/03/15) Patient with cataract in both the eyes with very poor vision Patients being given preoperative preparatory anaesthetic injection and cataract surgery by phacoemulsification being done (pics of camp patients taken on 29/03/15 at Radhatri Nethralaya)
This year from April 2014-March 2015, we did a total of 14 free cataract surgery camps through Gurupriya Vision research Foundation, in which we examined 1110 patients from villages around Chennai and slums in Chennai. 20 patients underwent free cataract surgery (phacoemulsification with foldable intraocular lens). The list of camps is as follows Free Cataract Surgery Camps along with NGOs S.No Date Place of Camp No of patients Service rendered Screened 1 10/5/14 TEYNAMPET 97 2 glasses prescribed, 1 cataract surgery done 2 15/5/14 GERUGAMBAKKAM 13 1 cataract surgery done 3 20/07/14 KOOVATHUR 225 36 glasses prescribed 4 27/7/14 ENNORE 95 1 cataract surgery done 5 10/8/14 KOOVATHUR 100 5 glasses prescribed 6 20/09/14 KILPAUK 60 1 cataract surgery done 7 01/10/14 PALLIKARANAI 20 5 glasses prescribed 8 29/11/14 KILPAUK 84 2 cataract surgeries done 9 29/11/14 RADAR (Athiyendal village, Thiruvannamalai) 108 5 glasses prescribed(3 laser done) 10 31/01/15 REDHILLS 122 cataract surgery done for eleven eyes, 14 glasses prescribed 11 06/02/15 T. NAGAR 53 3 cataract surgeries done 12 27/02/15 TEYNAMPET 95 2 glasses prescribed 13 09/03/15 AMMANAPAKKAM 116 6 glasses prescribed 14 29/03/15 POONTHAMALLE(KOTHIYAPAKKAM) 82 3 glasses prescribed
Article in press about one of the public camps conducted under the aegis of GVRF at Radhatri Nethralaya How can you help us? We solicit a donation of 5000 Rs from philanthropists to cover the cost of surgery for a single eye. In case of shortfall or lack of donations, we have utilized the resources of Radhatri Nethralaya eye hospital time and again to enable us to continue these free surgeries.
2.) Diabetic Eye Disease camps: We have also continued the RADAR camps which we started in 2010: Radhatri Nethralaya diabetic retinopathy project in association with Rotary district 3230. In order to increase the reach of the project we did a month long free checkup of diabetic patients for Diabetic retinopathy at Radhatri Nethralaya under the aegis of GVRF. A total of 150 diabetic patients were evaluated for diabetic retinopathy. In addition, we did one camp at Athiyandel Village, Tiruvanamalai on 29/11/14. 147 diabetic patients were screened and 10 patients underwent free vitrectomy surgery at Radhatri Nethralaya.
Articles in press about RADAR camps conducted under the aegis of GVRF at Radhatri Nethralaya
Pamphlets for distribution to the public about Diabetic eye disease released by Rotary District Governor at the inauguration of month long RADAR camp conducted under the aegis of GVRF at Radhatri Nethralaya.
Few pics taken during RADAR camp at Athiyendal Village, 29/11/14
3.) Anganwadi eye camps for under-five year-olds 5 weekly camps at Anganwadi for underprivileged children under five years of age, were carried out where we screened 185 children and treated 16 with eye problems free of cost. The following is the list of camps. S.No Date Place of Camp No of patients Service rendered Screened 1 30/4/14 TRIPLICANE 46 6 glasses prescribed 2 14/5/14 PUDUPET 28 5 glasses prescribed 3 21/5/14 AYANAVARAM 32 3 glasses prescribed 4 28/5/14 V.O.C.NAGAR 43 1 glass prescribed 5 04/06/14 PALLIYARASAN STREET 36 1 child advised amblyopia management
Children being tested for refractive error and squint (pics taken at Palliarasan street Anganwadi on 04/06/14)
4.) School screening camps 35 school screening camps were carried out in which we screened a total of 14236 children, prescribed 314 glasses and treated 2 children with speciality problems free of cost. The following is the list of the school camps. SCHOOL CAMPS S. No Date Place of Camp No of patients Screened Service rendered 1 20/05/14 S.T MOSES SCHOOL 540 15 glasses prescribed AMBATTUR 2 3/6/14 Bharath school Ambattur 360 10 glasses prescribed 3 10/06/14 Gov.Higher secondary 305 6 glasses prescribed school,porur 4 15/06/14 Gov.Higher sec School 120 10 glasses prescribed,ennore 5 25/6/14 Infant jesus Ambattur 600 5 glasses prescribed 6 03/7/14 Saradha vidhyalaya,t.nagar 29 1 glass prescribed 7 07/07/14 St.Moses school 500 10 glasses prescribed pattravakkam 8 09/07/14 Ahboila School T.nagar 920 7 glasses prescribed 9 10/07/14 Arul St Mary Matriculation school, Ambattur 156 40 glasses prescribed 10 16/7/14 Anjugam higher secondary school Ashok Nagar 280 9 glasses prescribed (1 child treated for eye allergy) 240 1 glass prescribed 11 19/7/14 Lake view matriculation, Ambattur 12 21/07/14 Little oxford school T.nagar 1272 10 glasses prescribed 13 25/7/14 Kesari telugu school T.Nagar 323 2 glasses Prescribed 14 26/7/14 C.S.I Aliasan higher 95 1 glass prescribed secondary school Chengalpattu 15 01/08/14 D.A.V school Gopalapuram 90 1 glass prescribed 16 04/08/14 Vasanthben school T.Nagar 167 1 glass prescribed (1 child treated for allergy) 17 12/08/14 Ebinezer school KORATTUR 1500 10 glasses prescribed 18 22/8/14 Play school,ambattur 50 2 glasses prescribed 19 22/08/14 Geetha kingstone 1400 5 glasses prescribed
matriculation 20 26/09/14 Valliammal 230 40 glasses prescribed school,ambattur 21 5/11/14 Genius Kids montessori 50 4 glasses prescribed School,Ambattur 22 2/12/14 Govt. Panchayat 500 22 glasses prescribed union.school,shanmugapur am 23 17/12/14 Govt.Panchayat union 90 5 glasses prescribed school, milk colony,madhavaram 24 18/12/14 Govt. Panchayat union 90 2 glasses prescribed school, murugambedu 25 18/12/14 Govt.Panchayat union 60 1 glass prescribed school,manjampakkam 26 19/12/14 MMDA High 500 4 glasses prescribed sec.school,mathur 27 24/12/14 Chinnapuri anandam school 189 13 glasses prescribed R.A.PURAM 28 07/02/15 Govt.Panchayat union 150 6 glasses prescribed school,madavaram 29 09/02/15 Govt.Panchayat union 360 22 glasses prescribed school, Puzhal 30 10/02/15 MMDA school,mathur 250 4 glasses prescribed 31 19/02/15 Govt.higher secondary 1000 20 glasses prescribed school,manali 32 25/02/15 Govt.Panchayat union 500 12 glasses prescribed school, manali. 33 03/03/15 St.Annies primary 500 12 glasses prescribed school,madavaram 34 08/03/15 Puzhal higher sec.school 600 7 glasses prescribed 35 20/03/15 MGR Higher sec.school 220 4 glasses prescribed
Pics taken at a school camp at Chinnapuri anandam school, on 24/12/14
Letters of appreciation for services rendered from school principals
In recognition of our school eye screening camps, Letter from the District blindness control society involving Radhatri Nethralaya in school screening camps to assess children for eye problems: Kannoli Kappom thittam: Let us save the vision of the children
5.) In the field of ROP.. Project Balanethra: Tender Vision The Dreamchild of Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation! Through EKAM foundation, which has a private public partnership with the Govt Of Tamilnadu, we continued the free screening and treatment of preterm infants for the blinding disorder called retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), at the three Government hospitals: 1.) IOG (Regional Institute of Obstetrics & Gynaecology) every Saturday, 2.) RSRM (Raja Sir Muthiah Government Hospital) 3.) Stanley Hospital every Friday. 4.) Kilpauk Government Medical College (KMC) every Wednesday
Mothers with babies await ROP screening by Dr. Vasumathy at RSRM Govt. Hospital Dr. Vasumathy doing ROP screening for a preterm baby at Govt. Kilpauk Hospital
Project Balanethra: Year 2 (2014-15) 56 babies have undergone free ROP laser successfully in the course of the year April 2014- March 2015 to eliminate the risk of blindness. S NO Baby name Eyes Date 1 B/O Aravalli Both eyes 03/05/2014 2 B/O Lakshmi Both eyes 21/05/2014 3 Baby Santosh One eye 27/05/2014 4 B/O Suvitha Both eyes 31/05/2014 5 Baby Nithesh Both eyes 03/06/2014 6 Baby Sridar Both eyes 14/06/2014 7 B/O Rubistella Both eyes 20/06/2014 8 B/O Divya J Both eyes 21/06/2014 9 B/O Sasikala M Both eyes 21/06/2014 10 B/O Sujatha Both eyes 26/06/2014 11 B/O Jerlin Both eyes 30/06/2014 12 Baby Syed ali Fathima Both eyes 02/07/2014 13 Baby Rajitha Both eyes 04/07/2014 14 B/O Manochitra Both eyes 07/07/2014 15 B/O Yogalakshmi Both eyes 16/07/2014 16 Baby Kaliappan Left eye 18/07/2014 17 B/O Saniya Both eyes 22/07/2014 18 B/O Peevitha Both eyes 25/07/2014 19 B/O Gangadevi Both eyes 29/07/2014 20 B/O Hepsi Both eyes 02/08/2014 21 B/o Helan.W Both eyes 30/08/2014 22 Baby.S.Sumitha Both eyes 01/09/2014 Shree 23 B/o Gayatri Devi Both eyes 03/09/2014 24 Baby.S.Sri Harini Both eyes 20/09/2014 25 Baby Kanish Left eye 24/09/2014 26 B/O Megala.S Both eyes 27/09/2014 27 B/O Dhanalakshmi Both eyes 27/09/2014 28 B/O Ruthammal.P Right eye 11/10/2014 29 B/O Rekha.A Both eyes 15/10/2014 30 B/O Thamarai selvi Both eyes 25/10/2014
31 Baby Puviarasu.V Both eyes 25/10/2014 32 Baby Sathiswaran.P Both eyes 29/10/2014 S NO Baby name Eyes Date 33 B/O Saritha Both eyes 01/11/2014 (Triplet I) 34 B/O Saritha Both eyes 01/11/2014 (Triplet III) 35 B/o Lakshmi.M Both eyes 05/11/2014 36 Baby Both eyes 05/11/2014 Prameskumar.A B/O Mohanasundari Both eyes 05/11/2014 37 38 B/o Annakili Both eyes 8/11/2014 B/o Rasool Beevi Both eyes 15/11/2014 39 B/o Vijaya Both eyes 15/11/2014 40 B/o A. Santhiya Both eyes 26/11/2014 41 B/o Poomariammal Both eyes 3/12/2014 42 43 B/o Uma Both eyes 06/12/2014 44 B/o Jothi Both eyes 10/12/2014 B/o Latha Both eyes 10/1/2015 45 Baby Hanusri Both eyes 19/1/2015 46 B/o Rasathi Both eyes 23/1/2015 47 48 B/o Hemalatha Both eyes 23/1/2015 Baby Akash Left eye 07/2/2015 49 B/o Soumiya Both eyes 11/2/2015 50 51 B/o E. Soundarya Both eyes 14/2/2015 52 B/o Nagashree Botheyes 14/2/2015 53 B/o Rajathi Both eyes 25/02/2015
54 B/o Venkatamanish Right eye 13/03/2015 55 B/o Thilagavathy Both eyes 21/03/2015 56 B/o Sugi Right eye 27/03/2015 Dr. Vasumathy, Managing trustee, GVRF, doing free Laser for a preterm baby at Radhatri Nethralaya under Project Balanethra
Some of our Balanethra babies this year. Baby Akash B/O Jothi B/O Thilagavathy Baby Satheeswaran Some of our Balanethra Babies. B/O Saniya B/O Peevitha B/O Soumiya How can you help us? In case of shortfall or lack of donations, we have utilized the resources of Radhatri Nethralaya eye hospital time and again to enable us to continue these free surgeries to save the vision of these tiny babies. The problem is huge.we therefore solicit a donation of 4000 Rs from philanthropists to cover the cost of laser surgery for a single eye for these babies.
Articles in press about Dr. Vasumathy, Managing trustee, Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation getting felicitated for Balanethra project
Looking ahead: Phase II of Balanethra : Procurement of RETCAM shuttle Some hard hitting facts.. 1.) 1.4 million children under the age of 15 are blind worldwide! 2.) Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is one of the commonest causes of childhood blindness! 3.) We are facing the third epidemic of ROP in the world today! 4.) India is one among the few middle income nations having a very high incidence of ROP! 5.) ROP occurs in preterm babies with low birth weight! 6.) Treatment is by emergency Laser surgery! 7.) If untreated 50% of babies become permanently blind! 8.) There are less than 30 pediatric retina specialists trained to treat this disorder in India today!
The social impact Radhatri Nethralaya had successfully treated 143 children in a 3 year window (2007-2010). 143 infants treated so far will contribute : 143 infants x Rs. 38,000 (per capita income) x 65 years (life expectancy) = Rs. 353210000 (353.2 million Rs), Approx USD 6.9 million of savings to society! The numbers in 2011 to 2014 have increased by three times, thanks to increased awareness. We must be missing a lot of babies in rural and semiurban areas that are not getting referred! We aim to screen those babies by sending a mobile RETCAM shuttle to remote villages to image the retinas of the tiny babies and send images via internet. Babies with ROP will immediately be shifted to Radhatri Nethralaya for free treatment! We have created a corpus fund for this purpose.. You too can do your bit to save the tender vision of a tiny baby Please do contribute to the corpus fund for RETCAM.
Estimate of Balanethra Project (RETCAM SHUTTLE Procurement) in INR : MINIMUM OF 85 LAKHS Fixed cost Imported equipment 6100000 Custom Duty 717360 CST 374954.8 Warranty for one year 0 Insurance 100000 Transporting vehicle 900000 Online UPS 32,000 Generator in vehicle 80,000 8304314.8 Recurring costs (Monthly) Driver salary 20000 Nurse salary 10000 Technician salary 20000 Consumables 10000 Fuel 40000 Food expenses 8000 Toll fees 8000 Generator running costs 10000 126000 Maintenance costs (Annual) Insurance 100000 100000
6.) Diwali Workshop for students on first aid safety measures following cracker injuries to the eyes Our Fifth annual Diwali workshop to promote awareness about first aid measures following cracker injuries was held in Oct 2014 at our premises. 70 students, and 30 teachers from 30 city schools participated.
Dr. Vasumathy demonstrating the technique of washing the eyes as a first aid in cracker injuries as school students and teachers look on. (pic taken at Radhatri Nethralaya, on the fifth annual interactive Diwali workshop on first aid following cracker injuries to the eyes on 14/10/14, under the aegis of Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation).
Shri Vijaykumar, District officer, Tamilnadu Fire and rescue services was the chief guest. Certificates were issued to the participating students. In addition, the participating students received a first aid eye kit and pamphlets about the first aid measures to distribute in their schools. About 10, 000 pamphlets were given away. Like the previous years, pamphlets to promote awareness on first aid measures were distributed in several corporation and Government schools by the trustees.
Articles in press on the fifth annual interactive Diwali workshop on first aid following cracker injuries to the eyes on 14/10/14, under the aegis of Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation).
7.) Awareness talks The trustees also gave several awareness talks to improve awareness on blinding eye conditions. Articles in press on the awareness talks by trustees of Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation).
Dr. Vasumathy Vedantham, Managing trustee also gave a talk on Diabetic eye disease at a local park after being felicitated on the International Women s day.
8.) For betterment of surgical services to the poor Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation procured a state of art portable machine called Zeiss IOL master for the betterment of surgical services to the poor. The machine would be used in camps either in house in the hospital or transported to the camp sites. The machine was dedicated to the public on 12/03/15 during the course of an eye camp exclusively for women on the occasion of International Women s day conducted under the aegis of Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation.
Articles in press about the procurement of Zeiss IOL master by Gurupriya Vision Research Foundation and its dedication to the public on Women s Day.
You too can do your bit to eliminate needless blindness save the tender vision of a tiny baby help in sight restoring cataract surgery participate in workshops on eye care volunteer in school eye camps. For more enquiries contact: Dr. Vasumathy Vedantham MS, DNB, FRCS, Managing Trustee GURUPRIYA VISION RESEARCH FOUNDATION (Public charitable trust of Radhatri Nethralaya) 12, Hindi Prachara Sabha Street, T. Nagar, Chennai- 600017 Ph: 24332229, 24311550, 9445438681. (Please note that donations to the trust are exempted from income tax as per 80-G of the income tax act (DIT (E) No. 2 (683) 09-10, Dated: 28.04.2010) PAN number of the trust: AABTG3661J