Improving Children’s Health Via Charitable Interventions
Cataracts are a leading cause of blindness in the world, and childhood cataracts pose a particular threat in the developing world where access to medical care and treatment can be limited. Blindness in children can have a profound impact on their quality of life and limit their ability to grow and develop to their full potential. Fortunately, childhood cataracts are treatable, and there are steps being taken to provide access to care and cure this preventable blindness.
Causes of Childhood Cataracts
Childhood cataracts can be congenital, meaning that a child is born with them, or they can develop as a result of an injury, infection, or disease. In many cases, the underlying cause is unknown. Regardless of the cause, childhood cataracts can have a significant impact on a child’s vision, and if left untreated, can lead to permanent blindness.
The Importance of Early Detection and Treatment
Early detection and treatment of childhood cataracts is crucial to prevent permanent blindness. Children with cataracts often experience symptoms such as blurred vision, light sensitivity, and a white or cloudy appearance in the pupil. Parents and caregivers should be aware of these symptoms and seek medical attention if they suspect that a child has cataracts.
In the developing world, access to medical care and treatment can be limited, and many children with cataracts go undiagnosed and untreated. This is why it is essential to raise awareness of the issue and to provide access to care for children in need.
Current Efforts to Treat Childhood Cataracts
There are a number of initiatives underway to provide treatment and cure childhood cataracts in the developing world. Organisations, such as our Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation, are working to train local healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat cataracts whilst also providing medical missions and mobile eye clinics to reach children in remote and underserved communities.
Our foundation focuses on the cure of children through specialised programs, which work to eliminate avoidable childhood blindness in developing countries. In 2022, we released a documentary short that focused on a family in Nepal.
Childhood cataracts are a preventable cause of blindness, and it is essential that we take steps to provide access to care and treatment for children in need. With early detection and appropriate treatment, we can cure this preventable blindness and help children to reach their full potential. By working together, we can make a positive impact on the lives of children in the developing world and help to eliminate avoidable childhood blindness.
This story is the initial introductory story as part of a series the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation will be releasing in the coming weeks. Using an investigative approach, this series will explore how cataracts can affect the lives of women in low-income communities, and how deteriorating eye health can be a catalyst for discrimination and rising levels of inequality.
