Rawalpindi, Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, a beacon of hope for those battling vision impairments in Pakistan, has treated over 30 million people in the last three decades. Maj. Gen. (Retd) Rehmat Khan, President of Al-Shifa Trust (AST), highlighted the escalating problem of diabetes in the country, which has become a leading cause of vision issues, including diabetic retinopathy, a condition damaging the retina’s blood vessels.

According to Al-Shifa Trust, recent studies show that one in four Pakistanis suffers from diabetes, with a significant portion unaware of their condition, leading to severe eye complications. Diabetic retinopathy has emerged as the most common cause of vision loss, alongside other preventable conditions like cataracts, which contribute to blindness, especially among those over the age of 50. Furthermore, refractive error-related disorders affect approximately 42 percent of school-aged children.

Since its inception, AST has conducted nearly 900,000 surgeries and serves almost one million outpatient department (OPD) patients monthly across its hospitals in Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Kohat, Muzaffarabad, and Sukkar. With the ongoing construction of a new hospital in Gilgit-Baltistan and an additional block at Chakwal Hospital, AST is set to expand its services further.

AST operates the most advanced children’s eye hospital in Asia, featuring departments like the Eye Bank, Light House, Research Center, Eye Cancer Center, Glaucoma, Retina, and Paediatric Referral Services. Eighty percent of services at its six facilities are offered free of charge, supported by the largest outreach program in the country, which organizes free eye camps nationwide, particularly in remote areas.

The Trust’s annual operations, costing around Rs 4 billion, are primarily funded through donations, covering 70 percent of the expenses. Gen. (Retd) Rehmat Khan pointed out the dire need for increased awareness and district-level services to combat the growing threat of blindness. With Pakistan’s population surpassing 250 million, a new study to assess the severity of eye disorders is deemed necessary, calling for the involvement of the World Health Organisation or other resourceful organizations.

Gen. (Retd) Khan also suggested that a government-sponsored awareness campaign in schools and the media, coupled with improved diabetes management, could significantly reduce the incidence of eye disorders in the country.