‘Cataracts cause 66% of blindness in India'
The event witnessed participation from over 75 cyclists, including healthcare professionals and eye donors from Shraddha Eye Care, the non-profit wing of Nethradhama. The cyclothon was flagged off by RK Gupta, Trustee of Koshika Foundation, a non-profit organization that sponsors free eye checkups, eye surgeries and heart surgeries for needy and underprivileged people, and Professor Dr. Sri Ganesh, Chairman and Managing Director of Nethradhama Super Speciality Eye Hospital. Cyclists rode through key areas of Jayanagar, spreading the message of
proactive eye care.
Cataracts account for over 66.2% of blindness cases in India, according to the National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey. Although effective surgical treatment is available, delayed diagnosis—often due to lack of awareness—leads to irreversible vision loss, particularly among the elderly and rural populations.
'Cataracts are one of the leading causes of blindness, yet they preventable with timely treatment. However, due to a lack of awareness, thousands continue to lose their sight unnecessarily. This is especially true in rural and underserved communities where access to care is limited or delayed.
With initiatives like the Cataract Awareness Cyclothon, our goal is to take the message of proactive eye care to the streets — encouraging people to look out for early signs and seek timely medical attention. Awareness, combined with access, is key to eliminating avoidable blindness,' said Professor Dr. Sri Ganesh.
RKGupta, Trustee of Koshika Foundation, added, 'At Koshika Foundation, we focus strongly on eye care because we believe restoring sight can give dignity to many lives.
Through small contributions from many people, we help fund cataract surgeries, organise free eye camps, and support charitable eye clinics. Initiatives like this help spread awareness and demonstrate how collaborative efforts can bring timely and affordable treatment to those in need. Awareness is the first step toward prevention, and together, we can help eliminate avoidable
blindness.
Koshika ensures that every Rupee received from donors goes towards serving the needy. Till date, Koshika Foundation has sponsored over 14,000 cataract surgeries through Shraddha Eye Care.'Nethradhama is committed to quality eye care with continuous learning, community outreach, and maintaining a high standard of care across all their services. As a part of the initiatives, Nethradhama distributed educational materials, social media awareness drives, and community outreach activities. The doctors at Nethradhama urge families especially with elderly members to prioritise regular eye check-ups, recognise the early signs of cataract, and seek
timely care.
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