CASE STORIES: AFSANA

by Kareena Zehra, patient counsellor at Dr Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital

This is Afsana and her mother, from Jharkhand – a rural state in the East of India known for its natural beauty. Around 39% of the population is below the poverty line, with nearly a fifth of children under the age of five-years-old facing malnourishment.

A medical camp was organised in the area by Dr Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital and Afsana was taken by her mother for a check-up. During the examination, they were urgently referred by the Doctors to Delhi, as Afsana had a serious condition which required immediate treatment. Afsana was diagnosed with congenital glaucoma – a rare condition where a young child is born with a defect in the eye's drainage system, leading to increased pressure inside the eye – and her mother was advised to bring Afsana to Nepal or AIIMS in Delhi, as alternatives, as soon as possible. The increased pressure can damage the optic nerve if left untreated, leading to complete vision loss and blindness.

Being extremely distressed, Afsana and her mother arrived in Delhi and were referred to SCEH in Daryaganj, where the glaucoma specialists evaluated Afsana and scheduled a surgery. The operation was performed successfully, and today Afsana can see clearly.

“Seeing her healthy and happy fills me with immense joy and relief. I am truly grateful to the doctors and hospital for giving my child the gift of sight.”

Kareena Zehra, patient counsellor