Adani Foundation Brings Light to Lives in Surat with 204 Cataract Surgeries

Surat : Bhandut village, nestled near Hazira in Surat, was once shrouded in darkness for 80-year-old Dahiben Ahir. Cataracts had stolen her sight, leaving her to navigate life in solitude. With no family to take her to a hospital and fear of surgery holding her back, she resigned herself to blindness. However, hope arrived in the form of the Adani Foundation and Swami Vivekananda Netra Mandir (SVNM) Hospital, which organized a free eye treatment camp in her village. With encouragement from Deputy Sarpanch Hemant Patel, Dahiben gathered the courage to undergo surgery. The results were nothing short of miraculous—her world was once again bathed in light.

Dahiben is not alone. Seventy-year-old widow Taruben from Umarpada, who relied on daily labor for survival, had also been losing her vision. Her declining eyesight threatened her livelihood, but the eye camp gave her a second chance. After surgery, she regained her sight and, with it, her ability to work and support herself. Similarly, Meenesh Kanthari, the sole breadwinner of his family, suffered from a rare cataract that had jeopardized his ability to provide for his loved ones. Thanks to the timely intervention of the camp, he underwent surgery and returned to work, ensuring his family’s stability.

According to a survey, untreated cataracts account for 62% of blindness cases in India, with rural areas bearing the brunt of this crisis. Financial constraints, fear, and lack of awareness prevent many villagers from seeking medical help. Recognizing this challenge, the Adani Foundation, in collaboration with SVNM Hospital, launched a large-scale initiative to bring eye care to the doorsteps of underserved communities.

In the 2024-25 financial year alone, the initiative covered ten villages across Choryasi, Olpad, and Umarpada in Surat district. These camps focused on early diagnosis and timely intervention to combat vision impairment. Overcoming deeply ingrained fears and misconceptions was a major hurdle, but by involving village leaders and sarpanches in the outreach efforts, trust was built within the communities.

Using advanced sutureless FAICO technology, doctors performed painless cataract surgeries, ensuring quick recovery. The results were overwhelming—out of 1,399 villagers who attended the camps, 503 were diagnosed with cataracts, 480 were provided with near-vision glasses, and by February 2025, 204 individuals had already undergone successful surgeries.

Akshaya Gujral, Executive Director at Adani Foundation, emphasized the organization’s commitment to transforming lives through healthcare: “Our goal is not just to restore vision but to restore dignity and independence. Every successful surgery is a step toward a brighter future for these communities.”