The Asian Age

Harpreet Kaur Lamba

New Delhi

Aug. 9: When New York reeled under the 9/11 terror strike in 2001, a large number of residents suffered from severe eye trauma caused by flying glass, grit and debris from the collapsing buildings.

Renowned retina specialist Dr Robert Morris of the US and his team came to the rescue of the people then and are now considered world leaders in such treatment. On Tuesday, Dr Morris will operate upon Indian hockey goalkeeper Baljit Singh at the Retina Specialists Institute of Alabama, US.

Baljit told this paper from Alabama, “I have had two detailed sessions with Dr Morris so far. He explained me the complications and also the course of action that we will undertake. As of now, my injured eye is unable to take any pressure as the retina has been damaged.”

“Our eyes generate fluids that are very essential for proper eyesight… it is something like food for the body.

“Due to the damage in my eye, the fluid is unable to reach the cornea and hence requires immediate attention,” the 28-year old explained.

The going though was not easy for the Indian goalie who was turned down by the noted John Hopkins Institute at Baltimore.

“I was heart-broken the day I reached here. Doctors at the John Hopkins hospital said they would not perform a surgery as they were unsure of the outcome. My initial thought was that I might have to return to India without any treatment.

“We then travelled to Alabama the same day and sought an appointment with Dr Morris. He said he had treated similar patients, who went on to regain full vision. That was a ray of hope for me,” Baljit said.

Baljit suffered a severe eye injury during training at the national camp in Pune last month.

A golf ball sneaked through his helmet visor hitting the right eye, and ruptured the retina, cornea, and the lens. The goalkeeper underwent an emergency surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences before leaving for the US last Wednesday.