HelpMeSee Rings In The New Year With 100K Cataract Surgery Milestone

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Dec 31, 2013, 01:41 ET

2014 Brings Major Milestone for Cataract Treatment Program

NEW YORK, Dec. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- HelpMeSee – a campaign to eliminate cataract blindness – today reported that it has completed 100,000 cataract surgeries through the HelpMeSee Program.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130403/DC88441LOGO)

In a note to HelpMeSee's 93 surgical partners, Co-founder, Jim Ueltschi commended the cataract surgeons working everyday on the frontlines to end cataract blindness, giving new hope to people living in some of the most austere conditions around the world.

"I couldn't be prouder or happier. What our surgical partners have accomplished is truly inspiring and amazing. Through their efforts, skill, and determination, 100,000 of the poorest people in the world can now see. Much more needs to done of course but my confidence and resolve grows everyday and I know that our goal of a world without cataract blindness is truly attainable, " said Ueltschi.

The HelpMeSee Campaign is founded on an extensive and growing network of cataract surgeons, practicing in some of the world's poorest communities. Every surgery supported through the HelpMeSee network is rigorously monitored and run through the surgical quality assurance and patient safety systems.

"The best trained surgeons providing high-quality cataract surgeries at affordable prices are a mission critical component of HelpMeSee," said Mohan Jacob Thazhathu, President & CEO, HelpMeSee. "HelpMeSee supports local surgeons who bring the miracle of sight every day to the cataract-afflicted persons in their communities. Through their hard work and dedicated support of our donors, we are proud to help build self-sufficient societies, free of the debilitating burden of cataract blindness, one surgery at a time."

Thazhathu added that not only have the 100,000 surgeries transformed the lives of those who have received them, but also their caregivers and family members who are now free to pursue their lives. A significant part of this achievement is the 1,021 children who had their sight restored, giving them a chance at a long and promising life.

Cataract blindness is the leading cause of avoidable blindness worldwide and can be treated with a quick, yet safe, 5-minute surgical procedure – a value that sits at the core of HelpMeSee's global mission. The procedure, manual small incision cataract surgery (or MSICS), has proven both safe and cost effective for treating high volume of patients suffering needlessly from cataract blindness.

Watch a special video in tribute to those whose lives have been changed by the generosity of our donors and the dedication of our surgical partners – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myy38zJkeHw

To learn more about HelpMeSee, or to monitor its cataract surgical tracker, visit www.helpmesee.org.

About HelpMeSee
HelpMeSee (www.HelpMeSee.org) is a global campaign to eliminate cataract blindness endemic in developing countries. The HelpMeSee mission is make the sight-restoring surgery available to millions of poor through financial support and the training of thousands of highly skilled specialist cataract surgeons recruited from within their communities. HelpMeSee has designed and is now producing a virtual reality surgical simulator and training program to be implemented worldwide, adapted from extensive experience in simulator based aviation training.

Press Contact: Perry Athanason, [email protected], 917-319-2126

SOURCE HelpMeSee