It turned out to be a world record of sorts. A 112-year-old woman here came under the scalpel for a successful cataract surgery.
The success story was written at Melvin Jones Lions Eye Hospital here at Buxibazar on Tuesday when Dr Raja Agarwal performed the surgery on the left eye of Khairun Nisha of nearby Pension Lane, who shows her authentic date of birth recorded as January 15, 1902.
In fact, the old lady had created the record two years ago when her right eye was successfully operated upon to remove the cataract by the same doctor in the same hospital. While two years ago Dr Agarwal was very nervous to perform the surgery because of the age of the patient, this time he was more confident as Khairun Nisha appeared more cooperative.
Praises patient
“She was very cooperative under the scalpel and all her vital parameters were normal for the surgery,” said a beaming Dr Agarwal after perhaps performing the surgery of his lifetime.
Having more than 160 children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, Khairun Nisha turned completely blind due to cataract two years ago.
She was identified by a team of doctors of the hospital during their routine camps.
Two camps a week
On the insistence of her family members and her enthusiasm, the hospital thought it duty bound to go ahead with the surgery in 2010. Hospital sources said they are conducting at least two camps a week and after screening the patients are brought to the hospital by their own bus for surgery. The hospital does not charge anything for the surgery, medicines and for the transportation from patients.
“We are doing this with the help of the District Blindness Control Society and from donations from all our members,” said a member of the hospital Anand Sethia, adding that the hospital was planning to perform glaucoma, retina and diabetic retinopathy in future and for this necessary equipment is being procured.
