The Mobile Eye Surgical Unit developed through a collaboration between Sankara Nethralaya and the IIT-Madras started its maiden run to Pernambut, a small town near Vellore after 35 surgeries were carried out in its surgical theatre within the Sankara Nethralaya Main campus. It was received with great enthusiasm by the local residents who turned up in good numbers to avail of its novel services. The surgical team performed 158 cataract surgeries in the mobile operation theatre between the 19th of January and the 11th of February 2012. The success of the maiden run in terms of the good number of surgeries performed is a great milestone in the history of Mobile Eye care. The success of this Pilot run could be the blue print for similar initiatives and could bring about a sea change to community ophthalmology in remote places.
On its return to the base camp, the Mobile Eye Surgical Unit headed to the Kanchi Mutt, the holy abode of the Kanchi Acharyas. The Sankara Nethralaya team comprising Dr. Rashmin Gandhi, Dr. Rajesh, Colonel Raghavan, Shri Chandrasekhar and Shri Suresh Kumar from the Project department gave a detailed account on the features, functioning and objectives of the Mobile Eye Surgical Unit to the Kanchi Acharyas, His Holiness Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal and His Holiness Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal. The Seers blessed the Mobile Eye Surgical Unit and the entire team for great success in their future endeavors.