New Intraocular Lens Manufacturing Facility to be Setup at TIO

In a new initiative by the government, intraocular lens manufacturing facility is being set up in Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology (TIO) under the Nepal Eye Program.

In a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Ministry of Industry (MoI) and TIO, the ministry is to establish a facility which will produce intraocular lens and other accessories. The MoU was signed between Purushottam Nepal from MoI and Sanduk Ruit, the executive director of Nepal Eye Program.

According to the statement from MoI, the ministry is to take needful initiative for declaring the project a national pride project. Apart from establishing the facility, the ministry will also ease the import of required raw materials and equipment for the facility.

Presently, TIO has the capacity has of producing 500,000 intraocular lenses and it has produced 4.9 million units already. These units have been sold in more than 50 countries. The current equipment and manpower is to be transferred to the new facility after its establishment. The new facility will have the capacity to produce 1.5 million lenses annually.

Edited by – Sushil Awale