KATHMANDU, Nepal, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly three decades ago, when Dr. Sanduk Ruit and his team proposed the idea of producing high-quality intraocular lenses (IOLs) in Nepal, they were met with skepticism and criticism. The vision was dismissed as overly ambitious, an idea too bold for a developing country. Undeterred, Dr. Ruit and his team pursued their mission to establish a facility that could produce IOLs on par with leading global manufacturers. Today, the lenses manufactured at Tilganga's IOL Laboratory have been implanted in over 6.5 million eyes across the globe — a powerful testament to what determination and innovation can achieve.

Dr. Ruit is embarking on a multi-city tour across the U.S. addressing audiences about this humanitarian initiative and future to expand the facility. Expansion will allow the production of more high-quality IOLs for the treatment of those with avoidable blindness.

DR. SANDUK RUIT U.S. SPEAKING TOUR DATES
Public Invited. Unless noted, all events are free to attend.

MAY 17:  WASHINGTON DC (2-5 PM)
Fairfax Church of Christ
3901 Rugby Road, Fairfax, VA
https://tinyurl.com/DrRuitInVirginia

MAY 18: WEST PALM BEACH / MIAMI (530-8 PM)
Wellington Community Center
12150 Forest Hill Blvd, Wellington, FL
Tickets: https://floridanepalese.org/fundraising-dinner-with-dr-sanduk-ruit/

MAY 22: BOSTON (7-830 PM)
594 Washington Street, Braintree, MA
https:/tinyurl.com/DrRuitinBoston

MAY 23: NYC COMMUNITY COLLEGE GROUP (6-8 PM)
Mainstage Theater of LaGuardia Performance Arts Center
31-10 Thomson Ave, Long Island City, NY
https://tinyurl.com/DrRuitInNewYork

MAY 25: BALTIMORE (6-9 PM)
$100 dinner ticket per person
1700 Van Bibber Rd, Edgewood, MD
https://tinyurl.com/DrRuitInMaryland

MAY 31: DALLAS (5-8 PM)
The University of Texas at Arlington
Rosebud Theater, 300 W. 1st Street, Arlington, TX
https://tinyurl.com/drruit

JUNE 1: RALEIGH, NC (330-630 PM)
309 Aviation Pkwy, Morrisville, NC
https://tinyurl.com/drruitinraleigh

JUNE 2: CHARLOTTE, NC (6-8 PM)
UNCC Charlotte
9119 University Rd, Charlotte, NC
https://tinyurl.com/DrRuitInCharlotte

The Impact of Tilganga's IOL Laboratory
Since its establishment in 1994, Tilganga's IOL lab has accomplished extraordinary milestones:

• Production of over 6.5 million lenses distributed to more than 40 countries across Asia, Africa, and South America, significantly benefiting marginalized communities.
• Annual production of 300,000 lenses, helping to meet the growing demand for affordable eye care.
• Achieving ISO certification and CE marking, ensuring compliance with global safety and quality standards.
• Supporting high-volume cataract surgery campaigns in remote areas, restoring sight to thousands within days.

Expanding for the Future: The Hetauda Project
To build on this legacy, Tilganga is planning a major expansion to Hetauda. This new facility will increase production capacity and introduce premium lens types to serve a broader international market while maintaining the focus on affordability for low-income populations.

Operating as a profit not distributing industry, the expanded lab will reinvest earnings to sustain and enhance its humanitarian mission. Key goals of the planned Hetauda IOL facility include:

• Doubling production capacity to meet the increasing global demand for IOLs.
• Introducing premium lenses, creating opportunities for financial sustainability and competitive participation in international markets.
• Generating employment opportunities and contributing to the local economy in Hetauda.
• Positioning Nepal as a global leader in eye care innovation.

While Tilganga has been able to source the land required to build the facility, the project requires an estimated investment of approximately USD 5.2 million to build and operationalize the facility.

Today, more than 6.5 million individuals have been cured of blindness owing to Tilganga's IOL lab. The planned expansion in Hetauda is an opportunity to amplify this impact, ensuring that no one remains blind because of the high cost of care, while elevating Nepal as a global leader in eye innovation. The success of this plant will position Nepal on the international stage for the manufacturing of high-precision devices with reproducible results.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Lelin Kandel
lelink@thamel.us
858-371-1593

Phillip Sontag
phillip@bleucooper.com
917-446-4123

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SOURCE Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology