The World Health Organization estimates that there are 1.5 million blind children worldwide, mainly in Africa and Asia, and an additional 500,000 children lose their vision each year.  Without intervention, the number of blind children will reach 2 million by 2020.  Hence, one of the priorities of Vision 2020: The Right to Sight - is childhood blindness.  Most childhood blindness in Nepal is either preventable or curable, and the common causes of visual morbidity in children include nutritional – Vitamin A deficiency, ocular infections, congenital cataract, refractive error, ocular trauma, strabismus and amblyopia, trachoma, congenital glaucoma, etc.

Unfortunately, childhood blindness and low vision remain great problems in world including developing countries like Nepal.  An early diagnosis on preventable childhood blindness reduces number of disabled life years the child will face in his/her life. Based on this worldwide problem, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus clinic at  Tilganga institute of Ophthalomology is focusing on prevention of preventable childhood blindness since 2003. 

Goals:

• For early diagnoses and treatment of refractive error
• For early diagnoses and treatment of different types of amblyopia-Refractive, Anisometropic, Stimulation deprivation and Strabismic amblyopia.
• For early diagnoses and management of strabismus
• For early diagnoses and management of pediatric cataract
• For early management of the penetrating and perforating injury of eye in children
• Early diagnoses of xerophthalmia in children due to Vitamin A deficiency.
• Early diagnoses  and treatment of corneal ulcers due to Vitamin A deficiency in children
• Early diagnoses and treatment of ophthalmia neonatorum.

In addition to outpatient services, preschool and school screening services are conducted on regular basis from this center.

Types of treatments:

Diagnoses and surgical management of pediatric cataract surgery

Pediatric cataract is diagnosed in outpatient department after mydriasis.
Pediatric cataract surgery is done under general anesthesia. The surgical services are posted on emergency and routine basis. The method of pediatric cataract surgery is aspiration of the lens with anterior vitrectomy with intraocular implantation.
The intraocular power calculation is done with the help of biometry under general anesthesia.

Surgical management of pediatric and adult strabismus

Pediatric and Adult strabismus surgery is done under general anesthesia and under local blocks.

Faculty contact

Dr. Ujjowala Shrestha
MD in Ophthalmology, BPKLCOS, TUTH
Fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, USA

Sub-specialty Services

1. The Vitreo-Retinal Clinic
2. The Cornea Clinic
3. The Oculoplastic & Lacrimal Clinic
4. Glaucoma Clinic
5. The Pediatric Clinic
6. The Uvea Clinic
7. Extended Hospital Base Servic