South Asia Human Rights Journalist Association

Srinagar, Dec 23,2016: The SMHS Hospital ward in Srinagar  which remained packed with patients during the past five months of Mass uprising was now witnessing again rush of patients now. Multiple surgeries are failing to restore the vision of many pellet-hit youth yet the ophthalmological ward at SMHS hospital is again witnessing patient rush.
However, the ward is again getting stuffed due to the visit of noted vitreo retinal surgeon, Dr. Natrajan. However, the ward is again getting stuffed due to the visit of noted vitreo retinal surgeon, Dr. Natrajan.
A hope to see again is what makes patients come from far off villages and get their eyes operated upon but if darkness remains even after the operation, hopes shatter. In ward 8, patients who have been injured on Thursday 22 December pack their bags to return home disappointed.
Aarif Javaid, 18, who runs a provisional store, was injured in the right eye by a pellet fired by Indian paramilitary forces on October 7 while he was protesting peacefully.“When I was first operated upon, I could see blurry images and recognise objects but now my eye is dead as I can’t see anything,” he says.   Hopeful of regaining his vision, Aarif, went for treatment to Amritsar but returned disappointed. “The doctors there told me that if they operate upon my eye I would completely lose vision,” he says. “And today, I am convinced that I have become blind by one eye.”
A 9th standard student, Saqib Tenzu hails from north Kashmir’s Kupwara districtalso could not regain vision with the surgeries he underwent but the hope of a miracle keeps him alive. “When I was operated for the second time, I did regain some vision for a few days but darkness enveloped again,” he says.Saqib, was injured on the very second day 9 July of the uprising triggered by the killing of popular 22-year old Kashmiri leader, Burhan Muzzafar Wani.“Since then I am bed-ridden and caged, living a disabled life and my parents don’t allow me to go out and play,” he says.  Experiencing no improvement in eyesight despite multiple operations, Saqib in the heart of his hearts, believes he might regain his vision.
Suhail Ahmad, whose vision improved a little, follows instructions of doctors who slated him for surgery on the day the Padma Shri awardee Dr. Natrajan arrived in Kashmir. “When doctors operated upon me for the second time, my vision started improving after a couple of months,” he says. “On Thursday, they operated upon me again but I am less hopeful of the success of surgery.”Suhail was injured in protests on September 27 and admitted at SMHS hospital for treatment. “I can only recognize hand movement but today even that is not recognizable,” he says. “Though the doctors told me that the surgery will bring results within a week, I know what is in store for me.”
Dr. Natrajan, who has operated upon 157 patients during his three visits to Kashmir, says the patients cannot regain normal vision but would regain some vision that would help them see light or hand movement.
On why most are not regaining vision after multiple surgeries, Dr. Natrajan says, “These patients are suffering from post-traumatic proliferative vitreoretinopathy, a common complication that develops in patients with an open-globe injury, and there are no medicines available in the market to treat it.”