ROCHESTER, N.Y.—Global eye health company Bausch + Lomb and the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) have awarded a $150,000 grant to the Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital in Siliguri, West Bengal, India. Made possible through the Pediatric Cataract Initiative (PCI), a collaboration between Bausch + Lomb and LCIF, the grant will support a training and local building initiative in West Bengal, as well as provide the hospital with funding for an early detection and treatment program for pediatric cataract and general children’s eye health.

After receiving applications from nine institutions in Nepal, Bangladesh and India, the PCI Global Advisory Council selected the Siliguri Greater Lions Hospital due to its comprehensive plan to train local ophthalmologists as well as educate local teachers, primary caregivers and community health workers on how to accurately identify pediatric cataract and other eye disease. The hospital will also use the assets toward new optical equipment and various outreach events, with an objective to perform sight-restoring cataract surgery and long-term follow-up care for 200 children in the Jalpaiguri district and neighboring states, as well as screen 130,000 underserved children in West Bengal. The plan also included attention to follow-up care and low vision counseling.

Kamalesh Guha, CEO of Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital said, “This grant will make a huge difference in the lives of children afflicted with cataract and other eye disease, since there is no other dedicated child eyecare service in North Bengal, India.”

Bausch + Lomb agreed with Guha’s sentiment. “We’re pleased to provide the Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital with funds that can help them realize their vision of a comprehensive outreach and training program to help reduce the prevalence of pediatric cataract,” said Joseph Barr, vice president, clinical and medical affairs at Bausch + Lomb.

Wing-Kun Tam, chairperson of LCIF said, "This grant will further improve the expertise and the quality of treatment that the facility is able to provide for local children who depend on us to ensure that they have the best sight possible."