Amdo Eye Center

(Qinghai Woeser Cataract Treatment Center)

View some recent photos of the building.

View a PowerPoint* slide show about the Amdo Eye Center [2MB]
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FPMT is building a hospital in Xining, the capitol of Amdo, to provide continuous, sustainable and quality eye care. Specifically the hospital will provide high quality cataract surgery and general eye care to all, in particular those from underprivileged backgrounds. The hospital will also offer outreach microsurgery eye clinics in remote areas.

Every five seconds, one person in the world goes blind. 37 million people in the world are blind, yet with access to quality eye care, 80% of the world’s blindness would be totally avoidable.

The province of Amdo (called Qinghai in Chinese) is home to people of both Tibetan and Chinese descent. Many are nomads living far from modern health care facilities, and due to terrain and the scattered population, mobile eye care providers cannot always reach them. As a result, the prevalence of blindness in Amdo is four times higher than the national average for China. However, their conditions are easily treatable. These people remain blind for no reason.

The need is urgent for accessible eye care in Amdo. That is why Geshe Lhundub Sopa requested Lama Zopa Rinpoche to build the Amdo Eye Center. Modeled on the already successful Lhasa Eye Clinic, this center will provide high quality cataract surgery and general eye care for all. The center will serve the people of Xining, as well as remote areas. Dr. Sanduk Ruit – who founded the highly successful Tilganga Eye Center in Kathmandu and the Nepal Eye Program – will train the Amdo Eye center staff and oversee operations for two years, ensuring the highest standards (letter of support from Dr. Sanduk Ruit).

The Simplest Miracle

Our Goal

Funds Raised

$694,801

$521,101

$347,401

$173,700

$547,401

Intraocular surgery can be performed in minutes. First the eye is washed to reduce the risk of infection. A local anesthetic is injected below the lower eyelid, blocking sensation in the eyeball. After the clouded interior of the lens is removed through a tiny incision on the side of the eyeball, the intraocular lens is inserted into the empty lens capsule. Dr. Ruit has said: "It is the best thing a human can do in five minutes."

The total budget for the hospital to be built and fully equipped is $694,801.

To date, due to the kindness of many benefactors and specifically His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who has personally given $50,000, The Tanoto Foundation and Compassion Paris, we have raised $540,107.

We still need help to raise the remaining $154,694 to complete the hospital.

After the hospital is completed Dr.Ruit will train and oversee the operations of the hospital, and immediately he will begin outreach microsurgery eye clinics for remote areas. If we are able, FPMT will try to fund the operations of running the hospital and outreach clinics for a period of 2 years.

Latest News

FPMT has sent its final payment for the actual building of the Amdo Eye Center. Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible.

This payment was designated specifically for completion of the hospital construction. Recently we received this message from Mr.Gendun, who has been tireless working for this project:

“We would like to take this opportunity to express our gracious gratitude for your endless and unselfish help in making the successful completion of the Center. Based on our sincerity and thrift, we have completed the center construction project which covers an area of 1,665.48 m² with the necessary counterpart facilities.”

In August, FPMT sent a representative to check on the progress and the report back was very inspiring. The Amdo Eye Center is already training staff and will soon begin outreach for microsurgery eye clinics in other remote areas.

We hope to be able to fund the hospital at least for the next two years. Recently we received a detailed budget of costs for the next two years including items such as the use of a cross-country vehicle (to be able to take doctors to the remote areas), office equipment for the doctors and staff, medical equipment and salaries. The total budgeted cost for the first two years is US$338,000.

Contribute to the Amdo Eye Clinic

For more information please contact: Ven Holly Ansett

The Amdo Eye Center is a project of FPMT Inc. All donations made to the fund are tax-deductible within the United States in accordance with IRS Code article 501(C)(3) to the extent allowed by law.