Eye Health Hero: Sajani Kayastha

Sajani Kayastha is from Tanahun, Nepal. In 2013, she completed her degree in Ophthalmic Science from Himalaya Eye Institute, Pokhara. Growing up, she saw her aunt and sister wear thick glasses and struggle to get an eye appointment at the hospital. This inspired her to get involved in the field of eye care so that she could help her family members and others who have to live with ocular problems.

For the past 8 years, Sajani has worked as an Ophthalmic Assistant at Bharatpur Eye Hospital (BEH) in the Chitwan Valley of Nepal. During this time, she also had the opportunity to work at Parsa Eye Care Center as the Clinic in Charge for two years. She was responsible for examining the patients, conducting eye screening camps, and managing the center. Her experience at Parsa Eye Care Center taught her to grow not only in the clinical field, but also in the management field and community relations as well.

The more she learned about eye care, the more she realized her passion for working with pediatric patients, whose innocence and charm caught her attention. The field of strabismus especially fascinated her, so she took up the opportunity to train as an Orthoptist at BEH in 2020. With the support from the hospital, she completed her Orthoptic training and is now working as an Orthoptist and Pediatric Department Coordinator. Her work allows her to act as a bridge between the patients and hospital management and provide economic support to the patients who need it most. The smiles on their faces after receiving treatment brings her the most joy. In addition to direct service and management, Sajani also have become interested in operations research to improve pediatric services at her hospital.

Sajani is grateful to BEH and Seva for their support in helping her realize her dream of working in the field of Pediatric Ophthalmology and strabismus. She would like to continue learning and exceling in this field so that she could help many more children and adults see better.

“I love being part of a team that makes such immediate improvement in children’s lives through our eye service. I aim to learn more to expand the reach of our services and the quality of our care in Nepal and beyond.”

– Sajani Kayastha