Lanjigarh: Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh unit last week distributed spectacles to over 530 students as part of its Baljyoti Eye Health programme. The distribution was carried out through several eye screening camps organised over a span of four months in 20,838 schools in Lanjigarh, and took it to another 26,899 schools in Junagarh.
Following an initial screening, spectacles were handed out from the camps free of charge to students who were diagnosed with refractive errors. Those found to have other optical problems like squint, micro cornea, watering, redness, viral keratitis, corneal scar, iris colocoma, were provided with low-vision devices like tabs and daisy players. Children with more serious optical malady were referred to Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RSBK) for treatment.
The programme also involved the teachers by sensitising them of ways to identify and recognise problems pertaining to eyes among children. Teachers were provided with screening kits for this purpose.
Padhman Kumar Patra, a student of tenth standard of Gopabandh High School in Biswanathpur, is a beneficiary of the Vedanta Baljyoti Eye Health programme. He has been wearing spectacles for over five months now. “Earlier I used to face a lot of difficulties in reading, writing and even while playing. I used to have regular headaches. So when the vision screening camp was held in our school, I attended it. It is there that the doctors told me I have a problem with my vision. They provided me with spectacles. Now I can read, write, play without any difficulty. Thank you Vedanta for helping me,” he said.
This is the first time an eye health programme was conducted in these blocks. Vedanta believes that treating these simple problems will substantially help reduce the rate of school dropouts in these developing areas, enable students to pursue their education with clear focus, and aid them in creating a better future for themselves.
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