The Blindness Prevention Program by DCI aims to prevent blindness among underprivileged communities in India and Bangladesh through low-cost interventions like vitamin distribution, eye screenings, and free surgeries. It operates in remote areas with high poverty rates and little access to healthcare. The program conducts regular eye screening camps to identify vision issues, treats conditions, and arranges surgeries with partner hospitals. It also provides educational programs to promote eye health awareness. Over the years, the program has screened and treated thousands of underprivileged individuals, including children, restoring their vision.

1. Blindness Prevention Program Overview Click to see how the program works! Click to see how the program works!

2. It is hard to believe, but of the 45 million blind people in the world, 12 million live in India & 2 million live Bangladesh. Of the 180 million visually impaired people in the world, 52 million live in India and another 3 live in Bangladesh. Each year, an estimated 500,000 children become blind. Cataracts, glaucoma and Vitamin A deficiency are major contributors to vision impairment in these poorest of the poor communities. The good news is that over 80% of blindness can be prevented by very simple, cost-effective interventions. Unfortunately, people in these communities do not have access to any treatment facilities and and do not understand how to take preventive measures. With the aim of reaching out to these underprivileged infants, children and adults , with the gift of sight, DCI launched its Blindness Prevention Program in 2007 . Background

3. To identify and treat preventable blindness among the underprivileged. To promote community awareness and education on eye health, such as nutritional guidance and information on the symptoms associated with eye diseases. To train local doctors and arrange volunteer service of US doctors in Bangladesh & India. Objectives

4. In Bangladesh DCI’s Blindness prevention program operates in its Sun Child Sponsorship Program areas of Patuakhali, Feni, Nilphamari, and Hobiganj. The program also operates in the slums of Dhaka. In India, The Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Angul districts are the focus of our efforts. Nearby districts will benefit indirectly. More than 90% of the population in these areas resides below the poverty line. These areas suffers from unreliable communication, inadequate infrastructure, and a poor or non-existent health service delivery mechanism. For most people, eye care is completely inaccessible. Population Supported

5. Preventive Measures People in the poor communities where DCI operates do not understand the importance of vitamins and are unable to recognize the symptoms of eye diseases. As a result, diseases can progress from treatable conditions to permanent blindness. As preventive measure DCI: Arranges awareness classes for pregnant mothers and mothers of the sponsored children where it operates Distributes seeds and plants for homestead garden as a source of vitamins Organizes free screening camps to identify early disease state for all ages and Arranges free curative interventions.

6. Eye Screening Camps in Bangladesh & India Every Year DCI arranges several free eye screening camps for underprivileged people of all ages. Patients with vision problems are identified and brought to our partner hospitals for checkups. Selected Partner Hospital in India: KEHRC (Kalinga Eye Hospital & Research Center), a unit of NYSASDRI (National Youth Service Action & Social Development) located in Dhenkanal, Orissa. Selected Partner Hospital in Bangladesh: Ispahani Eye Hospital, BIRDEM and several private clinicians. An ophthalmologist treats the patients. If surgery is required, DCI arranges it as funds become available.

7. Dr. Brian DeBroff teaching young doctors in Bangladesh Dr. DeBroff & Dr. Azad Khan inaugurate the Childhood Blindness Prevention Program Dr. Brian DeBroff with underprivileged children who received surgery Free Surgery, Seminar, & Training Camp - 2008

8. People young & old formed long lines for eye screenings Free Eye Screening Camp in Patuakhali, Bangladesh Jan, 2009 Location: Shaula Total Patients Examined: 978 Diagnosed Conditions in: 422 Attending Doctors: 3 Patients Came from: South & North Shaula, Karpur-kathi, Baje Sondip, Bashbaria, Bauphal, Patuakhali Doctors and organizing officials

9. Free Eye Screening Camp in Mohammadpur, Dhaka July 2009 Camp Location: Aparajeyo Bangla School for street children Total Patients Examined: 230 Diagnosed conditions: 13 children in need of glasses. 5 in need of major treatment treated at Ispahani Eye Hospital. Attending Doctors: from Ispahani Eye Hospital Patients Came from: slums of Mohammadpur, Dhaka Doctors and Organizing Officials of DCI, RSC, Aparajeyo Bangla & Ispahani Eye Hospital Two year old Nayeem, one of five children who will go blind without immediate treatment

10. Free Eye Screening Camps and Surgeries, 2010 DCI organized an eye camp on February 17, 2010 at DCI’s Shaula project area, the most remote area of Patuakhali District. A team from Islamia Eye Hospital Barisal screened the patients from Shoula and surrounding area. Through that screen the doctors identified 92 clean cataract patients. Curative surgery of 32 cataract patients was completed at Ispahani Eye Hospital between March 06 — March 11, 2010. This camp was sponsored by Mrs. Sitara Khan of California. Eye Camp, February 2010 Eye Camp, August 2010 DCI organized another eye camp in August 2010. A total of 30 patients received cataract surgery from this camp. The camp was sponsored by Zainah Chowdhury of Alabama.

11. KEHRC Hospital Activity for the Underprivileged

12. Give a New Life! You can support cataract surgery by donating just $100 per child or $50 per adult. An eye screening & cataract surgery camp for 40 patients costs just $2000.

13. Free Eye Camp for uninsured in Wallingford, Connecticut—2010 Why in USA? The number of Americans without health insurance has increased steadily since the beginning of the century, now totaling about 47 million. Nearly 9 million of these are children, and more than 8 out of 10 are from working families. A recent study has shown that Americans without health insurance had the lowest rate of eye care service use (42 percent), while 67 percent of American with private health insurance, 55 percent with public health insurance had visited an eye care professional in the previous year (Science Centric, 2008). Children with health coverage are better prepared to learn in school and succeed in life. (Institute of Medicine. From Neurons to Neighborhood: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Washington DC, 2000). In order to help people without insurance DCI is working to arrange eye screening camps & free treatments in the local communities of USA. This year, DCI arranged a free eye camp for local uninsured people of CT. The program was arranged by India programs leaders, Annadurai Amirthalingam and Dr. Shirish T. Dhume on July 4th, 2010. Dr. Debroff gave his services and he was assisted by Eric Vinke and Michelle Larocque. Youth Involvement: Dr. Debroff also gave training to Youth Volunteer Co-coordinator Asahi Hoque to do Basic Eye Screen. Asahi used that skill to work with the Bangladeshi Field officers to set up a system which can be used by visiting US youth volunteers (and hopefully local youths in future) to do eye screenings in the many slums of Dhaka or in the remote communities. When the system works effective the funds could be used more towards treatment than towards screening. Free Eye Camp for uninsured in Wallingford, Connecticut—2010 Why in USA? The number of Americans without health insurance has increased steadily since the beginning of the century, now totaling about 47 million. Nearly 9 million of these are children, and more than 8 out of 10 are from working families. A recent study has shown that Americans without health insurance had the lowest rate of eye care service use (42 percent), while 67 percent of American with private health insurance, 55 percent with public health insurance had visited an eye care professional in the previous year (Science Centric, 2008). Children with health coverage are better prepared to learn in school and succeed in life. (Institute of Medicine. From Neurons to Neighborhood: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Washington DC, 2000). In order to help people without insurance DCI is working to arrange eye screening camps & free treatments in the local communities of USA. This year, DCI arranged a free eye camp for local uninsured people of CT. The program was arranged by India programs leaders, Annadurai Amirthalingam and Dr. Shirish T. Dhume on July 4th, 2010. Dr. Debroff gave his services and he was assisted by Eric Vinke and Michelle Larocque. Youth Involvement: Dr. Debroff also gave training to Youth Volunteer Co-coordinator Asahi Hoque to do Basic Eye Screen. Asahi used that skill to work with the Bangladeshi Field officers to set up a system which can be used by visiting US youth volunteers (and hopefully local youths in future) to do eye screenings in the many slums of Dhaka or in the remote communities. When the system works effective the funds could be used more towards treatment than towards screening. Eye Screening Camp in USA DCI trains student volunteers in basic eye screenings, to help the uninsured in the US, or volunteer in Bangladesh/India. Dr. DeBroff performs free eye screenings in Waterbury, CT In order to help people without insurance DCI is working to arrange eye screening camps & free treatments in the local communities of USA. The number of Americans without health insurance now totals about 47 million. Of the 47 million, 9 million are children, and more than 8 out of 10 are from working families. Americans without health insurance have the lowest rate of eye care service use.