Beneficiaries of the programme, one-year-old Raj Kumar and his sister Amita, with their parents in Ranchi on Wednesday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, March 16: The State Bank of India (SBI) has restored the vision of 500 children and old women under its corporate social responsibility programme, with a little help from Kashyap Memorial Eye Hospital.

Speaking to The Telegraph Bharti Kashyap, the founder-director of the eye hospital, said 121 patients underwent surgery and 350 were given spectacles between March 6 and March 15. The rest of the patients were cured with medication.

The beneficiaries were residents of slums and old-age homes, who were recommended by councillors of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC).

The programme was divided into four projects — World Glaucoma Week (March 6 to 13), Slum Dweller Project 2011 (March 8 to 15), Old Age Home project (March 6 to 8) and Hi-tech Paediatric Surgery Project (March 9 to 15).

“Fifty children got back their vision after surgery. All this was done under SBI’s corporate social responsibility programme while the charitable unit of the hospital also chipped in,” said Kashyap.

She added that though the work was challenging, ultimately, they were successful. “Handling the cases of old people and children is challenging because their eye muscles are very delicate. The surgery was done with the help of latest technology. Some of the operations, which normally cost anything between Rs 40,000 and 50,000, was done for free,” she said.

Sister Emma, in charge of Apna Ghar — an old-age home at Hesag — said 14 inmates were provided free treatment. “As many as 14 octogenarians can now see properly, thanks to Bharti Kashyap as it was not possible for us to afford the cost of their treatment,” she added.

Mayor Rama Khalkho appreciated the efforts.