SL invests over two million yearly to improve people's eye sight
Around 150,000 Sri Lankans are blind at present and the main cause for blindness is cataract. Blindness caused due to cataract can be reversed through a simple surgery.
Over Rs. 2 million is being invested every year to improve the people's eye sight, Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Palitha Mahipala said. Dr. Mahipala said 39 million people are blind in the world and every year one to two million are added to this lot.
Over 90 percent of the blind population in the world live in developing countries. Over 60 percent can be treated easily and blindness of 20 percent of them can be prevented, he said. Dr. Mahipala pointed out that 80 percent of blind persons can be either easily treated or the blindness reversed.
"There are 58 qualified eye surgeons covering all parts of the country. The Vision 2020 programme has already provided over 80,000 free spectacles for schoolchildren and also spent between Rs. 40 and Rs. 50 million annually for eye care," he said.
If donors wish to offer eye sight for a poor fellow citizen who cannot see the world, they can log in to www.sightforlife.lk and make donations. It is a worthy cause. Rs. 3,500 can provide eye sight for a needy blind person. It is much better than having a big bash to celebrate a birthday, he added.
