RAWALPINDI: Al-Shifa Eye Trust on Monday said that blind and visually impaired people can also become productive members of society and lead fruitful lives. Over the last 15 years, Light House, an initiative of the Al-Shifa Trust, has assisted 65,000 people in getting back on their feet, it said.

Talking to newsmen, Al-Shifa Eye Trust President retired Maj-Gen Rehmat Khan said we had established a low vision rehabilitation centre, Light House, Pakistan’s first, in 2009. Since then, the centre has served people from all over Pakistan to become independent.

“Light House, a modern rehabilitation center, is dedicated to helping people of all ages and backgrounds overcome the challenges of low vision or blindness, which cannot be further treated with medicine or surgery,” he said.

He said the cantre had become a robust and efficient low-vision service provider as hundreds of patients with low vision and blindness get support from it to live unaided.

Mr Khan said that the unique facility had enabled people with low vision and blindness to enjoy safe, independent, and productive lives. He said that 25 million people in Pakistan suffer from low vision and blindness, and for them, the only way forward is to get help from special devices and counseling.

“We are striving to provide the latest facilities for reading, writing, and telecommunication for people representing different age groups with low vision or no vision,” he added. He said Light House had separate sections for people of different age groups, like the senior and junior corners.

The facilities in the senior corner include in-home needs assessments, vision examinations, and the introduction of safe, new ways to cook and take care of the home by providing special tools like custom-made utensils and magnifying lamps.

Besides, desktop electronic video magnifiers are available to help the visually impaired read the newspaper, manage their finances, lead productive lives through mainstream employment, and enjoy hobbies.

The facilities in the Junior Corner include a Parent Centre, which helps parents understand their children’s problems. Special electronic and TV magnifiers and simulators are available for pursuing studies. Moreover, special computer software is available that helps magnify everything on a computer screen and helps youngsters learn and play.

He said we also have an entertainment corner with unique gadgets for children and a rehabilitation corner where various educational, social, recreational, and job training experiences are offered to help youngsters confidently enter the practical world.

People with difficulty reading, recognising familiar faces and objects, seeing potential obstacles such as steps, walls, and furniture, problems performing routine tasks like cleaning, cooking, and eating, and those having issues with reading regular fonts can benefit from the services of the Light House.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2024