THE HIMALAYAN CATARACT PROJECT BRINGS WORLD-CLASS EYE CARE TO THE NEEDLESSLY BLIND
Eye Surgeons Making a Difference

The Himalayan Cataract Project works to eradicate preventable and curable blindness in the developing world with a steadfast commitment to training local providers and working with partners to leverage impact.

Cataract surgery is one of the most cost effective of all health interventions.

WHO THEY ARE

Two ophthalmologists, Dr. Sanduk Ruit and Dr. Geoff Tabin, started the Himalayan Cataract Project to fulfill their personal goals of eradicating as much unnecessary blindness in their lifetimes as possible.

 

HISTORY

Drs. Ruit and Tabin have proven that hospital quality standards can be applied in poor areas lacking electricity and clean water. Their inventive approach and dogged perseverance made what 20 years ago was considered impossible – possible. Today HCP reaches the most unreachable patients wherever its services are needed.

The Himalayan Cataract Project was co-founded by doctors Sanduk Ruit and Geoff Tabin. Its roots are based at the Tilganga Eye Centre in Kathmandu, Nepal, the first outpatient cataract surgery facility in the Himalayan region established in 1994 by Dr. Ruit. Dr. Ruit and Dr. Tabin formally started the Himalayan Cataract Project in 1995 as a charitable organization to support their work.

Recognizing that cataracts are treatable and cause 70% of unnecessary blindness in Nepal galvanized HCP’s founders, doctors Ruit and Tabin, to take action. Unkown to them at the time were a series of significant challenges they faced in their quest to eradicate blindness. Each challenge led to the furtherance of HCP’s core innovation.

Doctors Ruit and Tabin have been teaching their cataract surgery technique at ophthalmology meetings throughout the world, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons annual meetings and the World Ophthalmology Congress.