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The Ophthalmology Department of Voluntary Health Services has been functioning since the late 1960's. It was founded by none other than the great Dr. S S Badrinath, the visionary behind the world renowned Sankara Nethralaya. More than a dozen mini health centres in semi urban and rural areas are linked to the main hospital located on RAJIV GANDHI ROAD,TARAMANI near ADYAR,CHENNAI.
These Mini Health Centres typically cater to a population of about 10,000.
These Mini Health Centres are manned by trained male and female health workers who live in the same area and carry out health surveillance, preventive health camps, surveys etc.
Medical personnel pay periodic visits to these centres as an outreach initiative.
The Ophthalmology Department makes periodic visits to the mini health centres with necessary equipment to routinely screen the population and to create awareness about glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy at regular intervals
Changes in the eye due to glaucoma and retinal changes due to diabetes, hypertension, increased cholesterol and triglycerides have to be picked up at an early stage. Appropriate management at an early stage ensures preserving vision, proper follow-up and preventing progression of the disease.
By the time the patient presents with complaints, a good percentage of useful vision would have been lost and cannot be restored. Hence the necessity to carryout outreach camps to routinely screen people aged 40 and above.
So far we have covered 2 of the 14 mini healthcentres. Once patients are found to have signs of glaucoma or retinopathy they are seen again at our eye department in VHS, further test done and appropriate treatment started. Anti-glaucoma eye drops are given either free or at a subsidized cost. The necessity for regular follow-up is also stressed upon the patient. We are glad to note that patient compliance has been quite good.
Irrespective of the fees the patient pays, everyone gets the same quality of treatment which is as good as what is available in any other commercially run eye hospital.
The fees paid by patients under middle income, high income groups is much lesser than what they would pay for the same quality of service elsewhere.
The two senior experienced consultant ophthalmic surgeons run the department and lend their time, effort and services for a nominal travel allowance.
The optometrist, clerk, staff nurse and hospital workers also work at a nominal salary.
A number of volunteers irrespective of age wholeheartedly come and help in the base hospital and in the outreach programs.
Better equipments will play a major role in ensuring better quality of existing services, improved surgical outcome and quicker recovery after surgery. This in turn will attract more patients and benefit more number of people. The cost of higher end equipments should not deter this objective. Hence we appeal to you to help this cause.
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