Visual impairment, although it can occur at birth, it is not always present from childbirth. Visual impairment can be caused by several traumatic events or diseases that affect the eye sight of a person. Glaucoma (damage optic nerve), macular degeneration (destruction of eye parts which disables a person to view), cataracts (cloudy vision), lazy eye (hindrances in vision), optic neuritis (eye inflammation leading to permanent or temporary vision loss), retinitis pigmentosa, (retinal damage) and eye tumors (optic nerve or retinal damage) are examples of medical conditions that impair eyesight and can lead to blindness.
Muhib Gul, initially, felt some problem in his left eye but he ignored the seriousness of the issue and relied on some local medicine. However, after sometime, Muhib Gul’s left eye vision was blurred and someone advised him to visit Comprehensive Eye Clinic-Takhtbhai, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, being run by CHEF International to consult an eye specialist. After detail ocular examination, the doctor informed him that he had cataract in his right eye and cataract extraction was advised.
As the financial condition of Muhib Gul was not good to finance the expenses and shared the details with the administration of Comprehensive Eye Clinic-Takhtbhai. He was informed that his eye cataract surgery would be carried out free of cost. While, there would be no follow up charges as well.
“People who are visually impaired can touch and feel the items but they cannot see their colour or formation. Visual impairment including blindness means an impairment in vision adversely affects their life,” says Muhib Gul, adding that both partial sight and blindness make the lives of affectees very difficult.
Muhib Gul went on to say that vision influences one’s movement, estimation of space, stimulation of coordination and control, stimulation of exploration, incentives for communication and cognitive development. He further said that the vision impairments may not have a reason to interact with their surroundings.
Visual perception is altered for the student (this includes skills such as discriminating forms, people, objects, pictures, letters and numbers, as well as visual memory). They have a distinct disadvantage in seeing objects, so students who are visually impaired rely on tactile and auditory development. Their spatial perception is altered and they have difficulty with orientation and mobility. They need psychological and social adjustment.
“Comprehensive Eye Clinic Takhtbhai being run by CHEF International is fulfilling the national duty of providing vision to the deserving communities in and around Takhtbhai,” says Muhib Gul.