Tilganga’s Refractive Surgery Unit opened in January 2012 and offers the latest in laser technology for the correction of corneal problems. It has been developed with TIO partners to become a leader in laser surgery in the developing world.
TIO is the first public hospital in Nepal to create a dedicated laser facility for the treatment of refractive error. Treatments include laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis and photo refractive keratectomy (PRK).
Refractive errors like myopia (short- sightedness), hyper-metropia (long- sightedness) and astigmatism are some of the most common causes of vision loss, globally. In developing countries like Nepal, these conditions are typically managed through the provision of affordable spectacles.
As a model for laser treatment in the developing world, the new Refractive Surgery Unit is delivering free laser treatment where it is too difficult for people to wear spectacles in the long term. For people living in Nepal’s remote and mountainous regions, days away from the nearest medical facility broken, outdated and lost spectacles can be almost impossible to replace. This independence to people who wouldn’t otherwise have the chance.
Located in the former Tilganga outpatient clinic, the new unit is equipped with world-class lasers and offers the same high quality surgery found in the developed world. It is staffed by a dedicated team of specialists including an ophthalmologist and technician trained in the United kingdom by project partner London Vision Clinic.
The new service also forms an important part of TIO’s cost recovery model, whereby the fees from those who can afford laser surgery will indirectly subsidizea eye treatment of the poor who cannot afford it.
