L V Prasad Eye Institute

Okay, so I just did my thing on how much Lok Satta (where Sweet Pea has been working and where Sweet Pea's mom has been super invovled since its inception) rocks.

Now it is time to go on and on about how much the L V Prasad Eye Institute rocks (www.lvpei.org). It was Sweet Pea's dad's idea, why they moved back to India in 1986 and something he was able to make a reality and it is totally amazing.

L V Prasad Eye Institute is a world-class eye hospital, research, and training centre located in Hyderabad, India. Its mission is to provide excellent and equitable eye care to all in a caring and compassionate manner. The Institute's six areas of focus are comprehensive patient care, sight enhancement and low vision rehabilitation, community eye health, clinical research, education and training programmes, and product development.

First off, in a physical sense it is sooooo well designed, maintained, clean and effiecient. In 1986 the area that is now the hospital was a pile o' rocks and dust. Now, anywhere you are you see trees and grass and plants. There is an artist in residence and an art gallery on the sixth floor. Just about any wall you can find here has art on it. Instead of patients being schleped (spelling??) from room to room as they do an initial exam, get tests, get treatment, etc., it is the doctors who move around so taht the patients can rest comfortably. If they do need to move from the waiting room or to a room with particular equipment or something, they are personally shown the way. There are no signs anywhere in the hospital showing where things are. This is because there are people who show you the way personally. Not only is this just plain compassionate and caring, but it helps give the "hospital" a non-hospitally feel. There are also so many other small details (like white walls and black railings so people with low vision are able to see it better) that I don't have the time to go into that just hlep to make it amazingly designed.

They also are able to provide care for any and all who seek it. ANYONE. No money? No problem. And we aren't talking some "mortgage-your-future and that of your children" payment plan. They have four levels. Those who pay nothing, those who pay a nominal fee, those who pay extra because they can and want to, and those who pay a lot extra because they can and want to. In this way, along with the fantastic support of people here in India as well as people around the world, quality eye care is available to all.

I don't know the details of everything all that well, but they are also setting up clinics in the villages and have so many other programs (such as rehab, counseling, a conference center, an eye bank - as in donated eye organs, and more) that are also kicking ass.

So check their website out too and learn about all the great things goin' down in Hot Town Hyderabad :)

I've always thought Sweet Pea was a pretty amazing creature and not knowing her parents all that well I always wondered about the ingredients that worked to make her so kick ass. Well, wonder no more do I!