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Jasti V Ramanamma Children's Eye Care Centre
Ten-year-old Swathi is a bright girl; she scored 95 percent in the third class examination, and can understand and speak English. But she would have been a very different girl had it not been for her father S Satyam's determination to give his daughter a fighting chance in life.
S Swathi was born on 7th July 1995 in Srikakulam. When she was three months old, her father noticed a whiteness in her eyes. The local doctor diagnosed it as glaucoma, and said there was no remedy in Andhra Pradesh. Satyam sought a second opinion, and a third! He was then referred to the Government Regional Eye Hospital at Vizianagaram, where the child was prescribed some medication. Five months later, Swathi was no better. Her eyes watered, she kept her head down and could not bear sunlight. Even a 100 watt bulb was too much for her. Worse, she could not see objects a few feet away.
Satyam took the child to other reputed eye hospitals but, despite quoting large sums of money for surgery, no one could guarantee that Swathi would regain her vision. His tireless crusade had cost the family precious money, which he could ill-afford on his salesman's salary. He had no moral support either — Swathi's mother and grandmother found all this effort unnecessary for a second daughter and said, “After all, she will only need to cook for her husband!”
Undeterred, Satyam decided to check out hospitals at Hyderabad. Armed with a letter from the local Collector and some money, he arrived at Hyderabad, but government hospitals too dashed his hopes.
A dejected Satyam happened to narrate his tragic tale to the receptionist at the lodge, where he was staying. She advised him to go to L V Prasad Eye Institute where poor patients were given treatment free of cost. Satyam walked into the Institute with Swathi on December 31, 1996. She was diagnosed to have congenital glaucoma and was operated upon the very next day. The surgery was successful — slowly but surely Swathi's vision began to improve. Eventually, she was prescribed spectacles and advised to use telescopes for reading. All her treatment was done free of charge.
Swathi can now tolerate sunlight and attends a regular school. Satyam unfailingly comes for each scheduled check-up and also attends LVPEI's annual Association for Parents of Childhood Glaucoma (APCG) meetings, valuing the moral support and encouragement received from meeting other parents. He advises others to adhere to the suggested check-up schedule — glaucoma being a life-long disease this is crucial, says the doctor.
Satyam did not shy away from publishing Swathi's picture or using her real name. He says she should have the courage to proudly stand up for what she is. “I am here for her,” he assures us, “marriage or no marriage. I will give her an identity.”
Satyam's words
“The kind of care taken by doctors for blind people may not be taken by any other hospital in the world. This place is a lamp of hope for the blind; the people of Andhra Pradesh are fortunate to have this hospital. In a world where superspecialty treatment is unreachable for the middle class and poor, I wish for peace and happiness for the doctors of L V Prasad Eye Institute, who are blessing the blind with vision. The doctors are carrying out a noble mission and the organisation treats a President and the poor alike.”
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