SGLEH Screens 850+ Senior Citizens Across Five Districts in Sikkim

A landmark initiative in inter-state collaboration for inclusive eye health.

Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital (SGLEH), in close coordination with the State Government of Sikkim, Department of Health & Family Welfare (NPCB&VI) and the Women, Child, Senior Citizen & Divyangjan Welfare Department, successfully concluded a statewide cataract screening initiative from 16 to 23 June 2025. The programme covered five districts of Sikkim, delivering essential ophthalmic services to elderly citizens across both urban and rural regions.

Screening camps were conducted at six strategic locations: Paljor Stadium (Gangtok), One Stop Centre (Jorethang), Old Age Home (Boomtar, Namchi), Kyongsa Ground (Gyalshing), One Stop Centre (Soreng), and Mangan Nagar Panchayat Hall (Mangan). These locations were selected to ensure broad accessibility for the senior citizen population. A total of 858 elderly individuals were screened across all sites. Of these, 255 were diagnosed with operable cataract and referred to SGLEH Unit 1 in Siliguri for surgery. In addition, 228 individuals received free prescription spectacles. The first group of referred patients arrived on 28 June 2025, and underwent successful surgeries the following day.

Lion Suresh Sinhal, Chairman, SGLEH, remarked: “This initiative goes beyond restoring sight—it restores dignity and independence. Our mission is to reach every individual in need, and we are thankful to the Government of Sikkim for enabling this vital outreach.”

SGLEH ensured a seamless, patient-centric process, offering counseling, pre-operative evaluations, surgical care, and post-operative follow-up, with special attention to those accessing institutional eye care for the first time.

Dr. Rajesh Saini, CEO, SGLEH, noted: “Our collaboration with the Government of Sikkim began in 2021 through Project Ujjyalo, supported by CBM, with a focus on building a disability-inclusive eye health system. Since then, we have established six fully accessible Vision Centres, trained over 450 government and community health workers, and delivered doorstep services in remote areas. This initiative is a continuation of that shared commitment.”

One of the first patients to undergo surgery shared: “I didn’t know cataract was the reason my vision had faded. After the operation, I can see clearly again. I thank the Sikkim Government and SGLEH for giving me back my sight.”

As the largest and most trusted eye care provider in Sikkim and North Bengal, SGLEH performed over 33,400 eye surgeries in the financial year 2024–25. The hospital offers a comprehensive range of advanced subspecialty services, including Retina, Glaucoma, Cornea, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Oculoplasty, Low Vision Rehabilitation. Additionally, the hospital has expanded its Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) services in collaboration with the Government of West Bengal, extending care to newborns across Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, and Kalimpong districts. With a mission to safeguard vision at every stage of life from neonates to centenarians, SGLEH remains dedicated to providing world-class eye care to the community.Beyond its services, SGLEH has established itself as a centre of excellence in education and training in eye care faculties. As the biggest ophthalmic training centre in North Bengal and Sikkim, the hospital provides a platform for young talents to grow and excel. It plays a critical role in catering to the eye care training needs of North Bengal and India’s North-East, ensuring a pipeline of skilled professionals dedicated to improving community eye health.

This initiative is more than a clinical achievement—it is a reaffirmation of SGLEH’s enduring mission: to provide inclusive, accessible, and high-quality eye care for all, regardless of geography, background, or ability.