The Fred Hollows Foundation is proud to announce that our partner in Nepal, Dr Sanduk Ruit, one of the world's most celebrated eye surgeons, has been featured on Channel Nine's A Current Affair.

Ray Martin presented a special A Current Affair report on Dr Sanduk Ruit, who was a close friend and colleague of Fred Hollows.

Ray Martin takes us on a journey to see how the legacy of Fred Hollows is still helping thousands in developing countries to overcome blindness.

Touted as a likely Nobel prize winner, Dr Sanduk Ruit says, "I don't think I could have come this far without Fred's support, really. Fred was our voice. The strength that he had in speaking, I didn't have."

Now Medical Director of The Foundation-supported Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, Dr Ruit has carried out over 120,000 cataract operations. He is responsible for training eye surgeons across the world and this has resulted in millions of blind people now being able to see.

However, according to Dr Ruit it's not just about the millions who have had their sight restored - it's also about the sustainable eye health systems that have been set up.

"Before I met Fred, I thought the dreams were just dreams," he says.

Part of that dream was to establish an intraocular lens factory in Kathmandu, Nepal, which has now manufactured over 3 million low-cost, high quality intraocular lenses for use in modern cataract surgery in the developing world.

"I always believed cataract patients in this part of the world deserved the best," Dr Ruit says.

Fred's legacy to eliminate blindness is still as strong today as it's ever been. Support the continuing work of Dr Ruit and The Fred Hollows Foundation.

In 2011, The Fred Hollows Foundation’s support to the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology directly contributed to the following key achievements:
  • Performed 8,357 cataract and 21,553 other sight saving or improving interventions
  • Screened 266,116 people
  • Trained three surgeons, 18 nurses and clinic support staff and 185 community health workers
  • Opened an Oculoplasty Unit at Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology to provide surgery to fix eye deformities and abnormalities
  • Delivered $53,861 in medical equipment
  • Held 14 eye clinics in remote provinces

> Find out more:  The Foundation's work in Nepal.