To many of his patients, Dr. Sanduk Ruit is known as the “God of Sight,” and in a career that has spanned over four decades, he is credited with restoring the vision of more than 100,000 people.
Now, the world-renowned ophthalmologist and eye surgeon has a vison for the future that he hopes could make his home country of Nepal one of the global leaders in eye care innovation. The Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology — which he established some 30 years ago in Kathmandu, Nepal, to provide eye-care services and produce low-cost replacement lenses for cataract patients who have had their natural ones surgically removed — hopes to expand its reach.
The institute has already produced nearly 7 million intraocular lenses (IOLs) benefiting marginalized communities in more than 40 countries across Asia, Africa, and South America. Now Ruit plans to build a new manufacturing facility in Hetauda, Nepal to meet the growing global demand for IOLs. The new facility could double production, currently at 300,000 lenses annually.
Ruit hopes that this model of sustainable affordable eye care can stretch beyond his country’s borders. He said that if priorities are kept — in terms of quality assurance and sustainability — countries the world considers “developing” can become significant players in medical innovation.
“If I can make it (lens production) successful here, I can make it successful in anywhere in the world,” he told CNN via a video call.
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