How does an eyecamp work?

The eye camp opens its doors at 7:00am on a Sunday morning and closes its doors on Friday afternoon.

Eye camp poster. Patients arriving at the camp.
Sunday:

Patients are examined by a physician. Upon examination the patient may go one of five routes.

1. If the patient’s surgery can be performed at the eye-camp in the evening they will undergo tests to deem if they are fit for surgery; if they are fit they will undergo the surgery.
2. If the patient’s surgery is too complicated to be performed at the eye-camp they will be asked to come back on Tuesday and they will be sent on a chartered bus to the Ruby Memorial Hospital to have their surgery completed.
3. If the patient does not require surgery but requires corrective lenses they will asked to come back to the camp on Tuesday to determine their vision prescription.
4. If the patient does not require surgery or corrective lenses but has an eye ailment that can be treated with medication they will be given the correct medication and sent home.
5. If the patient does not fit in with one of the four routes described above they will be given a suggestion on where they can receive the proper care.

Sunday evening the surgeries take place at the eye-camp (Deol Hospital, Mullanpur Punjab). Beds, food and medical supervision are provided to all patients havingsurgeries at the camp throughout their five night stay. Men and woman are placed in separate rooms. Each room comprises of approximately 25-45 beds and is attended by two volunteers throughout each night and each day. Total number of patients undergoing surgery on Sunday evening is usually between 180 and 250.

Monday:

The majority of the medical and surgical teams from Ruby Memorial Hospital heads back to Jallandar, Punjab. Before the teams leave all patients are examined inthe morning following their surgery to ensure it’s successful. Each day the patient stays they have their dressings changed and are given medication by an Optometrist from the Ruby Memorial Hospital. The Optometrist stays at the eye camp to ensure safety of all patients; a nearby hospital is readily available for any medical emergencies.

Men's registration table. Women's registration table.
Patients in the prayer room. Patients in the prayer room.

After the prayers have taken place the patients are brought down in groups of 30 to 50 to be examined by the physician.


Patients being examined by Dr. Jacob Prabhakar. Patients being examined by Dr. Jacob Prabhakar.

After patients have been examined Dr. Prabhakar determines whether the patient’s eye affliction can be treated surgically. If the patient cannot be helped by surgery Dr. Prabhakar recommends the correct medication; the patient receives the medication immediately afterwards. The medication is paid for by the DHATA Foundation.


A patient having their intraocular pressure checked
by an optometrist from the Ruby Memorial Hospital.

If it is deemed that the patient will benefit from surgery the patient is asked to undergo tests to ensure they are fit for surgery. If for some reason (i.e. a complicated procedure) the surgery cannot be held at the eye camp the surgery will be performed later at the Ruby Memorial Hospital. Patients will be sent on a chartered bus to the hospital. If a patient requires eye-glasses they are asked to come back on Tuesday to determine their prescription.

Patients undergoing surgery at the eye camp are deemed fit for surgery by measuring their blood pressure, glucose levels and their intraocular pressure. If the patient passes these tests they will be registered, prepped for surgery and have their eye measured for the correct plastic intraocular lens (IOL) which will be used to correct their cataracts.


Dr. Solomon checking a woman
for the correct IOL to be inserted.
Patients registering for surgery.



A patient having their eye pressure checked by
an optometrist from the Ruby Memorial Hospital.



Dr. Solomon checking a woman for the
correct lens prescription to be inserted.
Patients being prepped for surgery.

Dr. Prabhakar and the Ruby Nelson Memorial
team performing surgeries.
Dr. Prabhakar performing a
lens replacement surgery.

Avtar, Surinder and Dave Dhat viewing
Dr. Prabhakar and his team perform surgeries.
Volunteers assisting patients in their sleeping quarters.

After their operations the patients are sent back to Gurmat Bhawan to their sleeping quarters. The patients are attended to for five days following their surgery. Two attendants for approximately 40 patients are available 24 hours a day in case of an emergency or if elderly patients need help attending the lavatory.

An optometrist stays on site at Gurmat Bhawan for the duration of the patients stay. He also fits returning patients with an eye glass prescription.

Tuesday:

Special case patients are sent to Ruby Memorial Hospital via a chartered bus to have their surgeries done. Patients requiring corrective lenses have their vision prescriptions determined by an optometrist from the Ruby Memorial Hospital. Patients at the eyecamp have their eyes checked and have their dressing changed.


Dr. Solomon testing a ladies vision
for an eye-glasses prescription.
Patients being served lunch by volunteers.
Wednesday:

Patients at the eye camp have their eyes checked and have their dressing changed.

Thursday:

Patients at the eye camp have their eyes checked and have their dressing changed.

Friday:

All patients, those from Jalandhar and from the eye camp, are instructed on how to care for their eye by the lead ophthalmologist from Ruby Memorial Hospital. Patients are sent home.

On the last day of the camp patients are gathered
together and are told how to take care of their eye.

The volunteers at the camp range from orphaned street children living at Gurmat Bhawan to female students attending the technical education classes at Gurmat Bhawan.

A group of young children who volunteered
at the camp sitting along side Dave Dhat.
A group of young men who volunteered at the camp.
One month later...

The team returns to the eye camp to check all of the patients one more time to ensure that no hidden post surgical complications have occurred.

Patients with eye-related diseases which cannot be treated medically or surgically will be given information on how to get in touch with services which may help them cope with their ailment. Examples are support groups and schools for the blind.

Additional Aid

Patients from all over Mullanpur region come to have their eyes checked. They learn about the camp location and date through posters put up in the region by volunteers two weeks prior to the camp. Upon arrival patients must register with the camp in order to be viewed by a physician. All patients who come to the camp are examined by a physician until 4:00pm the same day. Usually 1200 to 1500 people turn up to have their vision examined. Men and women are registered in separate lines in accordance with local customs.

"I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver." - Maya Angelou