Light of Dharma 
Page 19bSight Restoration Programmes
Stories From the Camps
Kanchi, A Deaf Mute
Kanchi, a 42 years old woman, was born deaf and mute. She was suffering from cataract for three years and was already blind when she came for treatment at the Eye Camp in Kalimpong in 2001. She had never married, and was being cared for by her younger sister who worked in a tea-plantation.
Kanchi's brother-in-law carried her piggyback all the way to the screening centre for a check-up, and she was the first candidate diagnosed with cataract that day. She appeared very depressed and without any hope. When the doctor started to dilate her eye and trim her eyelashes during the pre-surgical examination, she fought and struggled with great fear since she was unable to hear, speak, or see. No one could calm her down. Still, her sister pleaded with the doctor to proceed.
In the recovery ward, her sister stayed next to her holding her hands. The next morning, Dr. Ruit visited her in the ward and took off the eye patch!
The moment was extremely touching. At first Kanchi seemed perplexed, but when she realised that she could see, she displayed a sudden relief and became completely relaxed. She smiled and then broke into various expressions of joy and tried to communicate with everyone around her using her hands. A few days later, Kanchi had surgery on her other eye. This time she was confident and happy, and even went through all the procedures unaccompanied by her sister.
The Men Who Were Able to Hear and Speak Again
Two apparently poor men appeared at the eye camp in Kalimpong. They came by themselves, although blinded by cataract. Everyone came to believe that they were also deaf and mute, because they did not respond to questions and, throughout all the examinations, they did not utter a word.
However, when their eye patches were removed the day after their surgery, they suddenly began to talk and respond to questions. This experience made it very clear that blindness, especially among the destitute can, in fact, undermine all hope, crippling dignity and confidence to the extent that all doors of communication cease to exist.
The Tiny Woman From Mall Bazaar
There was a poor Indian woman in her 40s, a midget who suffered from total blindness in both eyes due to cataract. She was brought to the eye camp by community volunteers from the Sai Samity organisation, after they had found her in a dismal condition at a market place. She was filthy, seemed completely despairing, and afraid to move.
When her eye-patch was removed after surgery, her personality transformed. With the first wonderful moment of sight, she pushed away the men who had been carrying her. Subsequently, she became increasingly concerned about her appearance.
When advised to have surgery on her second eye, she immediately consented.
As she was leaving the camp, she was optimistic about returning to her previous employment. We learned that she had been a servant in a family for many years. However, they could not afford to retain her once she became visually impaired. As she had nowhere to go, she became a beggar at the market place.
However, once able to see again, she had no resentment towards her former employer and, in fact, she felt that they were justified in terminating her job with them when she lost her sight. Her plight is like that of many others in her condition.
Treatable Blindness Programs Eye Camps for Sight Restoration by Jamgon Kongtrul LabrangPhotos From the Camps
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