On an incredible note for medicine in this region, The Department of Ophthalmology of SKIMS Medical College, Bemina has made history in having performed its first two corneal transplant surgery procedures.
Such a feat affords two people – previously living in the dark, chance to sight and see optimism for a future lit up with color.
Corneal blindness is a leading cause of blindness around the world, and has always been a threat in the Kashmir valley, largely due to lack of access to means of specialized medical treatment. The recent successes with corneal transplants at SKIMS Medical College is a historical occasion, thereby showing the people of the Valley, that there are interventions for their unique eye care needs at international standards, right in their valley.
This is truly something to celebrate, and not just celebrate, this represents the ultimate achievement of the ophthalmology team, who did every possible step, to build the foundation for advanced eye treatment procedures to be delivered locally.
The impact of this achievement cannot be underestimated. Prior to this intervention, patients requiring corneal procedures would have to go out of Jammu and Kashmir, which only subjected them to further hardship and costs.
In a competitive infrastructure context, these surgeries provide proof of excellence; this is one more feather in the SKIMS cap–a definite proof of SKIMS providing state of the art surgical procedures and that SKIMS can do the most complicated surgical issues or medical conditions.
The success here will lead to more people going in for organ donation thus impacting a major shift in more lives. The life-changing surgeries were possible thanks to the donors who made their eye donation possible and families who allowed them to be donated.
This should be cause for awakening more people to come forward and put their names down as eye donors, so that even more can be walking about in light, rather than darkness.
This landmark is not just a win for the two people who have seen after many years of suffering; it is a win for the region entirely.
The belief the Kashmir is taking a turn in the direction of becoming a destination for advanced medical care has been strongly cemented. Others successes will be sure to follow due to hard work and support, bringing light and hope to countless lives.
