Rawalpindi:Al-Shifa Trust said on Monday that blind and visually impaired people can also become productive members of the society and lead fruitful lives. Over the previous 15 years, Light House, an initiative of the Al-Shifa Trust, has assisted sixty-five thousand people in getting back on their feet, it said.
Speaking to media men, Major General (r) Rehmat Khan, the president of Al-Shifa Trust, said we had established a Low Vision Rehabilitation Centre, Light House, for the first time in Pakistan in 2009. Since then, we have served people from all over Pakistan to become independent. Light House, a modern rehabilitation centre, is dedicated to helping people of all ages and backgrounds overcome the challenges of low vision or blindness, which cannot be further treated with medicine or surgery, he said. He added the centre had become a robust and efficient low-vision service provider as hundreds of patients with low vision and blindness get support from it to live unaided.
Rehmat Khan said that the unique facility has enabled people with low vision and blindness to enjoy safe, independent, and productive lives. He said that twenty-five million people in Pakistan suffer from low vision and blindness, and for them, the only way forward is to get help from special devices and counselling. “We are striving to provide the latest facilities for reading, writing, and telecommunication for people representing different age groups with low vision or no vision,” he said. He added Light House has separate sections for people of different age groups, like the senior and junior corners.
The facilities in the senior corner for older people with low vision include in-home need assessments and vision examinations, as well as the introduction of safe, new ways to cook and take care of the home by providing special tools like custom-made utensils and magnifying lamps. Besides, desktop electronic video magnifiers are available to help visually impaired individuals read the newspaper, manage their finances, lead productive lives through mainstream employment, and enjoy hobbies.
The facilities in the Junior Corner include a Parent Centre, which helps parents understand their children’s problems. Special electronic and TV magnifiers and simulators are available for pursuing studies. Moreover, special computer software is available that helps magnify everything on a computer screen and helps youngsters learn and play. Rehmat Khan informed that we also have an entertainment corner with unique gadgets for children. A rehabilitation corner has also been established where various educational, social, recreational, and job training experiences are offered to help youngsters confidently enter the practical world.