Cataract surgeries bring light back into lives of Guru Har Sahai villagers

For generations, villagers around Guru Har Sahai lived in a dim reality, their vision clouded by cataract, which they had started believing to be their destiny. Unable to afford surgery, many had resigned themselves to a life of blurred outlines and half vision, continuing their daily routines with quiet acceptance.

Then came Dr Priyanka Arora, professor in ophthalmology from the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), who turned that darkness into light through project “Roshni”. During a free eye checkup camp, she uncovered the hidden crisis of scores of villagers living with half vision and in that moment became a beacon of hope, showing them that blindness was not destiny, but a condition that could be healed.

The camp, organised by the DMCH, revealed a startling truth, 90 villagers required cataract surgery. In the first batch, 21 patients were operated upon successfully, while the remaining will undergo surgery in the coming days. For those who had long accepted blindness as fate, this intervention was nothing short of being a miracle.

“I was astonished to know that these people cannot afford the cost of surgery, due to which they were living in a world of half vision and failing to enjoy life or carry out routine work,” said Dr Priyanka, who spearheaded the initiative.

The DMCH arranged buses to bring patients to the hospital, provided accommodation and ensured smooth treatment. After surgery, the patients returned home with radiant smiles, their eyes open once again to the colours of the world. The atmosphere was one of celebration as families welcomed back their loved ones with renewed vision.

Among them was Jeeto, who shared her joy, “I could hardly see, andI was unable to afford the cost of surgery. It is all due to the DMCH that today I’m able to see properly.”

For Pasho Rani, the surgery meant freedom from dependence, “Depending upon someone for your daily chores is the biggest handicap. Nobody is happier today than me. I have the feeling of being complete.”

Raju too is overwhelmed, his world transformed as he prepares to return home with full eyesight. Satnam Singh, a farmer, echoed similar sentiments, “Now, I will be able to do my agriculture work properly, which earlier was great difficulty due to weak vision.”

The camp was more than a medical intervention, it was a social awakening. For villagers who had resigned themselves to blindness, it was a reminder that healthcare was not a privilege, but a right. And for Dr Priyanka and the DMCH, it was a mission fulfilled, bringing light back into lives that had long been in shadows.