Bhubaneswar: AIIMS-Bhubaneswar has started a Low Vision Clinic in its Ophthalmology Department.
According to an AIIMS spokesperson, the clinic was started with an aim to illuminate the lives of patients who have almost lost hope due to severe visual impairments. The one-of-its-kind vision clinics will help a special group of patients like the socially blind and other patients having very low vision due to glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetes, retinal diseases, and other blinding diseases, who do not benefit from surgery or spectacle correction.
These types of patients usually lose hope and get frustrated with life due to being a burden to others in their family. The low vision aids will help these patients to perform their routine works and lead an independent life. This is the first-of-its-kind vision clinic in any government institute in Odisha.
AIIMS-Bhubaneswar executive director Dr. Ashutosh Biswas inaugurated the clinic in the presence of Dr. Praveen Vasisth from Dr. RP Centre, AIIMS-Delhi, medical superintendent Dr. Dillip Kumar Parida, and dean Dr. Prashant Raghab Mohapatra.
AIIMS-Bhubaneswar has collaborated with Dr. RP Centre, AIIMS-Delhi, and Cristoffel Blinden Mission (CBM), Germany to establish this visionary clinic. Operational daily, the clinic pledges to offer visual rehabilitation services to those in need, thereby reshaping lives and fostering a sense of empowerment.
Inaugurating the pioneering initiative, Dr. Biswas praised the efforts of Ophthalmology Department and acknowledged the transformative impact of the clinic. Emphasising the importance of regular patient follow-up and expressed gratitude to AIIMS-Delhi for their valuable support under ‘Roshni’ project. He also unveiled training manuals aimed at empowering Asha workers and volunteers with essential eye care knowledge.
Dr. Vasisth shed light on the collaborative efforts between the Government of India and NGOs like CBM, culminating in the establishment of similar clinics nationwide under the project.
AIIMS-Bhubaneswar Head of the Department (HoD) Ophthalmology Dr. Sucheta Parija provided insights into the clinic’s operational data, highlighting its impact on patient welfare. With over 75 patients already benefiting from the Low Vision Clinic at AIIMS here, Dr. Parija envisioned future collaborations with blind schools for enhanced rehabilitation efforts and the training of Asha workers for primary eye care at the community level.
The inauguration ceremony witnessed the presence of CMFM HoD Dr. Sonu Subba, Physiology HoD Dr. Prananti Nanda, Dr. Prabhas Tripahty, Dr (Maj). Mukund Sahu, Dr Bhagabat Nayak, Dr. Priyadarshini Mishra, Dr. Sandip Sahu, Dr. Bruttendu Moharana, Dr Bijnya Panda, resident doctors, nursing officers, staffs and low vision patients, marking a collective commitment towards enhancing the quality of life for visually impaired individuals.
