Blind twins from Maharashtra take up 1,230-km journey to Chennai for colour, light

On a quiet winter afternoon, Chetan and Chandan, twin toddlers, sat on the verandah of their home in Bibamal village, Melghat, Maharashtra. They tapped a shiny silver spoon and bowl – objects they could finally see after 11 months, thanks to a life-changing eye operation.

Now, whenever someone calls their names, the twins lift their heads with bright curiosity. This small miracle brings tears to their mother Malti’s eyes. She remembers her deepest fear: “How would my boys ever survive in a world they could not see?

The twins were diagnosed with Retinopathy of Prematurity (RP), an eye condition in premature babies where abnormal blood vessels grow in the retina and cause blindness.

Following their September surgeries, each boy opened one eye to a world of colour and light. Doctors hope to restore vision in their other eyes as well.

Dr. Ashish Satav, president of MAHAN Trust, an NGO focused on healthcare and nutrition, explained that the twins needed a specialist for surgery because their case was unique.

“When local healthcare workers told us about the toddlers’ blindness, we did checkups and consulted a specialist. We also found out that each eye operation would cost around ₹1 lakh,” said Dr. Satav.

Dr. Satav shared the toddlers’ case with Dr. Pramod Bhende, an ophthalmologist at Sankara Nethralaya eye hospital in Chennai, who agreed to perform the surgery.

Chetan had his operation on September 2, and Chandan on September 9. “Chandan was taken to a private hospital, where the bill was around ₹70,000, and we had no money,” said Ms. Malti.

Dr. Satav said the medical expenses were borne by the NGO and the funds collected through crowdfunding.

Such a long journey

The 1,230-kilometer trek from Melghat to Chennai was a test of endurance and hope.

Mamta, a councillor at Sadarbadi primary health centre (PHC), said, “The operation in Chennai meant money to travel, a place to stay, and a guide to overcome the language barrier.”

Ms. Mamta said the medical staff collected money from people in Bibamal village and from healthcare officials to cover travel and other expenses.

“We reached out to everyone we knew and managed to collect ₹50,000. Satav and the NGO took care of the rest,” said Jayshree Rathod, an auxiliary nurse midwife at the PHC.

Preventable disease

Melghat often sees many cases of low birth weight and preterm babies. Chetan and Chandan were both born early, weighing 1.5 kg and 1.3 kg, about 1 kg less than average. According to doctors, low birth weight is one reason for RP.

Dr. Bhende, who operated on the children, said, “RP is not a rare phenomenon. At what stage it is treated decides the complexities. RP is possible in pre-mature babies with low birth weight. It can be prevented in the majority of cases if the babies are properly examined at the time of birth or within 30 days.”