FPMT International Office
Amdo Eye Center
The Amdo Eye Center is dedicated to providing
continuous, sustainable and quality eye care to all and
in particular the underprivileged in the Amdo region of
Tibet
Department Name
FPMT International Office
• Every 5 seconds one person in the
world becomes blind, 45 million
people across the world are blind and
yet 80 % of the world’s blindness is
avoidable
• In China, the prevalence of blindness
is about one percent and the
prevalence of blindness in Amdo is
four times higher than the national
average in China, due to the
extremes of the weather and poverty
• There is an urgent need for
accessible eye care in Amdo
Department Name
FPMT International Office
• The Amdo Eye Center has
been built in Xining, the capital
of Amdo, to provide high
quality cataract surgery, as
well as outreach microsurgery
eye clinics in remote areas
• Amdo is home to people of
both Tibetan and Chinese
descent and many are nomads
who live far from any facilities
Department Name
FPMT International Office
Why is FPMT involved ?
• In 2005, Geshe Sopa Rinpoche,
one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s
gurus, personally requested
Rinpoche to build the Amdo Eye
Center in Tibet
• For the next 6 years FPMT was
able to raise $605,907, due to
the kindness of many and in
particular the Tanoto Foundation
and Compassion Paris
Lama Zopa Rinpoche offering a mandala to
Geshe Sopa Rinpoche
Department Name
FPMT International Office
• The land for the hospital was
donated by the local government
• The Amdo Eye Center was
modeled on the successful Lhasa
Eye Clinic and Tilganga Eye
Center that was built by Dr.
Sanduk Ruit
• Dr. Ruit is training the Amdo Eye
Center staff and overseeing the
operations for the initial two
years, ensuring the highest
standards
The inauguration of the Amdo Eye Center, July 2010
Department Name
FPMT International Office
• Dr. Ruit has performed over 20,000
cataract operations over the last 15 years
in India, Nepal, Tibet, China and Korea
• He has been highly praised for his work
training local doctors in developing
countries to treat cataracts
• He is able to perform this vital operation in
only five minutes
• This simple surgical procedure can change
someone's life. Dr. Ruit has said: "It is the
best thing a human can do in five
minutes."
Dr.Ruit performing a cataract surgery
Department Name
FPMT International Office
• The inauguration of the Amdo Eye
Center occurred July 23-25, 2010.
• Dr. Sanduk Ruit traveled to Amdo
for the inauguration and operated
on eight cataract patients in the
operation room
• More than 50 government and non
government officials observed the
surgery in the theatre and watched
the operation via monitor
The inauguration of the Amdo Eye Center,
July 2010
Department Name
FPMT International Office
Current status
• The Amdo Eye Center building is
now complete and 50 % of the
equipment for the hospital has
been purchased
• Dr.Ruit is overseeing the training of
all the staff and eye operations are
happening in the hospital
• FPMT hopes to be able to fund the
hospital for at least the next two
years until it is able to be self
sustainable
The Amdo Eye Center July 2010
Department Name
FPMT International Office
• The budget for the next two
years of operation is
US$338,000
• This budget includes a crosscountry vehicle (to be able to
take doctors to remote areas),
office equipment for the
doctors and staff, medical
equipment and salaries
Department Name
FPMT International Office
Aims of the Amdo Eye Center:
• To be supported by the local
government, as it is offering a
much needed service
• To offer high quality training
for other doctors in the area
and to become a referral
center for ophthalmic
personnel
• To offer ongoing outreach
mobile clinics
Department Name
FPMT International Office
“By offering to the Amdo Eye Center you are benefiting others who are in
great need, in particularly the people in Tibet who are blind, helping them to
open their eyes and see, what an incredible joy and happiness you are giving
them!
However many hundreds and thousands of people who receive help from the
Amdo Eye Center, for as long as it exists, they receive this unbelievable benefit
because of your kindness and generosity.
From this you are creating unbelievable causes of happiness and success that
will be achieved in this life and in future lives.
By opening their eyes it gives them unbelievable freedom and especially now
they are able to see the holy objects - that purifies their minds so they can
collects skies of merit.”
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, 2009
Department Name
FPMT International Office
FPMT hopes to be able to support the
Amdo Eye Center for its first two years of
operations and to continue to support this
extremely worthwhile project for as long as
it is needed
For more information, photos, video
and regular updates:
www.fpmt.org/projects/amdo
Or please email
holly@fpmt.org
Department Name