A free eye camp was organized by the Medical Teaching Institution Hayatabad Medical Complex (MTI-HMC), Pakistan Institute of Community Ophthalmology (PICO) Peshawar, and Chef International Pakistan in Darul Rahmat Medical Complex Sheikhan Charsadda here on Thursday to mark World Sight Day. During the camp, free eye medicines and surgery kits were provided to patients undergoing cataract surgery. According to the camp coordinator, Israj Gul Chef International, 700 persons including more than 50% of women got an eye screening facility, however, 60 free operation kits were provided to the patients of cataract and were operated under the supervision of eye specialists. 300 near-vision glasses were also distributed to people with near-low vision including kids and women.
Director PICO Prof. Dr. Sanaullah Jan said that apart from World Sight Day, people should have their eyes checked regularly so that any major disease can be treated on time. Regarding the camp, he said that many people could not do screening and operation on time due to a lack of money for treatment, so this facility has been provided to the people of Charsadda at their doorstep.
Regarding World Sight Day, a seminar was also organized at PICO, MTI-HMC Peshawar, Prof. Dr. Lal Muhammad Pro Vice Chancellor Khyber Medical University Peshawar attended the event as a chief guest while Prof. Dr. Zahid Aman Dean KGMC, -MTI-HMC Peshawar, was the guest of honor on the occasion. Addressing the ceremony, Professor Dr. Lal Muhammad said that sight is a great blessing of Allah, so not only should we consult a doctor regarding sight issues, but being an ophthalmologist it is also our duty to help those who are deprived of this blessing. Addressing the event, Director Pico said that 600 billion people around the world are blind and 2.2 billion people are impaired, for which there is no help other than a pair of glasses, medicine, or free treatment. Therefore it is the responsibility of ophthalmologists to play their role in raising awareness about the importance of vision in the community and to help impaired people to see the light.