THE GLOBAL BLINDNESS SCENARIO:

Every five seconds one individual in the world goes blind.  Globally there are nearly 45 million blind people and almost 135 million with low vision; there are a total of nearly 180 million people who suffer with some degree of visual disability. Blindness is predominantly an age-related problem with prevalence rising from childhood to old age. Five out of every 100 persons over the age of 60 are blind.  Seven out of 1000 people in the world are blind.  Although reliable data regarding incidence (new cases of blindness every year) is not available, it is estimated that 7 million people become blind each year.  Over 70% of these receive treatment and their vision is restored. The number of blind people is thus increasing by 2-3 million per year.  Without strenuous efforts the prevalence of blindness is likely to double by 2020.

Nine of ten who are blind live in developing countries.  More than two thirds of the blind population live in Asia and Africa. Cataract disease is the main cause of blindness with an estimated 16 million people affected. In India alone there are approximately 7.5 million blind; of those, 60% are blind due to cataract disease and the other 40% suffer from various other eye disorders such as refractive errors, Glaucoma and corneal pathology.

The government of India launched a national program for the control of blindness in 1976-77.  The national average pertaining to the incidence of blindness in India, as reported by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is 1.49%.  The government has now set a target to reduce the rate of blindness to 0.5% by 2010.

GURUDEV’S MISSION CONTINUES:

With the blessings of Swami Nityanandaji Maharaj, under the Community Outreach Programs fostered by the Ashram, one of the primary commitments of Shanti Mandir is to eradicate cataract blindness from the villages of District Haridwar. This is being done by providing world class medical and surgical aid in intra ocular lens transplants to those people in the surrounding villages who have neither resources nor access for such medical care.  These services are being provided free of cost by the Shanti Mandir sponsored Eye Camps, held twice a year in conjunction with the Ganga Mata Charitable Eye Hospital (GMCEH) and the Government Pensioners Welfare Organization (GPWO).

Working ceaselessly towards this mission Shanti Mandir has achieved dramatic results over the years; more than 9000* patients have been treated; 1500* patients have been successfully operated upon for IOL transplant and the measurable success rate for these eye surgeries has been 100%!  In this way, Shanti Mandir has established an unparalleled and deeply rooted tradition of social commitment to the rural villages surrounding Haridwar.  ( * as of 14th eye-camp Feb.2006)

YOU TOO CAN BE A PART OF THIS SERVICE

Shanti Mandir sustains the expenditure of the Eye Camps through your donations – all gifts to this cause are warmly appreciated!  It takes only Rs 500 ($25.00 US) to restore the vision in one eye of a person.  This precious gift not only allows him or her to again see the beautiful world, but also extends his ability to engage in useful activities and better care for themselves and others. Please consider making a current donation to the Eye Camps. Donations are deductible under section 80G of the Indian income tax Act, 1961 and section 501(c) (iii) of the US Income Tax laws. Donations may be sent directly to Shanti Mandir at any of the following addresses.