Threading needles with ease thanks to new eyeglasses
Stories | April 2, 2025
Vision loss continues to be a major health concern for people living in Nepal. In 2020, nearly 22% of the Nepali population was affected by some form of vision loss – 16.7% higher than in Australia. For many of these people, particularly those in rural and hard to reach communities, accessing eye health services is a significant challenge. Local services may be unavailable, inaccessible for people with disabilities, or simply unknown to those who could benefit from them. As a result, many people go years without accessing treatment, with declining vision increasingly affecting their independence, as well as their ability to engage in work, education, and family and community life.
This was the case for Jit Bahadur, a 48-year-old tailor from Nepal whose eyesight began declining six years ago. Tasks he once found easy, such as threading needles, became difficult, ultimately impacting his work efficiency and income.
In 2024, Jit Bahadur learned about an eye health camp organised by a local partner of CBM Australia, aimed at improving access to eye health services in Nepal’s Karnali province. At the camp, his vision was assessed, and he was given a pair of eyeglasses tailored to his needs. The impact was immediate and transformative.
Jit Bahadur shared how threading a needle, once a tedious and time-consuming task, is now effortless with his eyeglasses. He has regained his confidence and become more productive, earning more money to support his family of five.
Running eye camps and providing eyeglasses is just one aspect of the project. CBM’s partner has also helped people access eye surgery and treatment and has played a key role in establishing and upgrading eye centers and hospitals, providing new equipment and training healthcare workers. To ensure accessibility, audits have also been conducted, leading to renovations of healthcare facilities to improve physical access for all.
CBM Australia acknowledges the support of the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
https://www.cbm.org.au/stories/threading-needles-with-ease-thanks-to-new-eyeglasses
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