Nepal has increasingly become a trusted destination for eye care in South Asia, attracting patients from neighboring countries like India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
Every year, thousands of Westerners travel to Nepal in search of reasonably priced and high-quality eye care, especially at the centers run by the Nepal Netrajyoti Sangh (Nepal Netrajyoti Association, or NNA).
For many people with vision impairments, this non-profit organization has become a ray of hope, providing not just treatment but also education, preventive care, and surgery for a range of eye problems.
In 2024 alone, 3,268,034 people had eye exams, and 258,575 patients had surgery, according to Dr. Shailesh Kumar Mishra, the association’s executive director. The fact that 162,845 of the 907,071 foreign nationals who made up this number had procedures shows how much international trust Nepal’s eye care system is gaining (RSS, 2024).
34,425 of these patients were given free eye operations as a result of the Association’s outreach and humanitarian efforts. This demonstrates the Association’s medical expertise as well as its steadfast dedication to social responsibility.
The Nepal Netrajyoti Association is a shining example of South Asian healthcare expertise, having performed over 5.39 million eye surgeries and offered eye care services to 46.8 million people since its founding (RSS, 2024).
Dr. Sanduk Ruit: The visionary behind Nepal’s global eye care revolution
Dr. Ruit, an internationally renowned ophthalmologist, was born in a rural village in the Taplejung district of eastern Nepal and endured tremendous poverty and hardship. He co-founded the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, one of Kathmandu’s top eye hospitals and training facilities.
Dr. Ruit created a groundbreaking low-cost cataract surgery method through this organization that made the procedure cheap for even the most impoverished patients, bringing the total cost down to less than $25.
It would be impossible to discuss Nepal’s superiority in ophthalmology without bringing up the world-famous eye surgeon Dr. Sanduk Ruit, who is frequently referred to as the “God of Sight.”
People regard him as one of the most significant figures in the global struggle against avoidable blindness, and he played a key role in laying the groundwork for organizations like the Nepal Netrajyoti Association to flourish today.
Over 130,000 people worldwide, many of them in Nepal, India, Myanmar, Ethiopia, and North Korea, have had their vision restored because of his procedure, which combines a small incision technique with intraocular lens implants made at a fraction of the cost of those made elsewhere.
The World Health Organization has also embraced this invention, and institutions like the Fred Hollows Foundation, a longtime partner of Nepal’s eye care industry, have commended it.
Looking forward
In a unique way, the Nepalese approach combines accessibility, affordability, innovation, and humanitarian principles. International organizations like the Fred Hollows Foundation, Orbis International, and Seva Foundation actively reinforce the sustainability of these projects through their collaborations.
Additionally, the industry boosts local economies and creates future healthcare infrastructure as more medical tourists travel to Nepal for eye treatments.
Supported by networks like the Nepal Netrajyoti Association and trailblazers like Dr. Sanduk Ruit, Nepal’s eye care system provides an encouraging way forward as the demand for easily accessible healthcare in South Asia grows.
Nepal is in a strong position to spearhead the worldwide effort to combat preventable blindness thanks to its growing international outreach, government assistance, and innovative medical practices.
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