Hyderabad: Aspiring constables and sub-inspectors are being fleeced by brokers at the Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital when they come for vision fitness certificates.
Candidates who need to use lenses of even -1.5 or -2 are not eligible for the job as the requirements specify clear normal vision without glasses. Government doctors are required to test and certify that the candidates have normal clear vision and no colour blindness.
The aspirants come for vision check-ups and certificates after oral and written exams. Aspirants from Telangana prefer to go to Osmania General Hospital, Gandhi Hospital and Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital. A senior ophthalmologist explained, “The candidates come from rural areas.
At the government hospital many are told that their sight is not normal, and that certificates can’t be issued. When this happens, most of them start looking for a way out. Then paramedics and senior doctors send them to brokers. Here they are explained about the Lasik treatment and promised that their vision will be rectified and that they will get normal vision certificates.”
Depending on the candidate’s urgency and capacity to pay, they are charged '15,000 to '30,000 for Lasik treatment. There are 12 Lasik centres in Mehdipatnam near the Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital.
A junior doctor at the hospital explained, “We see people fixing appointments in front of us, and the next day they get the treatment done. Although the problem gets rectified, its reoccurrence can’t be ruled out. Even then the certificates are issued.”
Vision problems are sometimes due to Vitamin A deficiency. If the diet is not balanced, supplements are required to make up for the deficiency. With brokers now standing at the gate of Sarojini Devi Hospital, around 80 per cent of the candidates do not even make it to ophthalmologists.
Former superintendent of Sarojini Devi Hospital, Dr P.V. Nandkumar explained, “We objected to this. Hence the initial screening is now done outside. Once the eye-power is determined, Lasik treatment is done and only then they come to the government hospital. But 20 per cent of the candidates come to us and we reject them.”
To end these illegal practices, Dr Nandkumar said the state government should follow the procedures laid down by the Railway Recruitment Board where vision certificates are attached to the initial interview forms.
This will end the desperation of candidates and the fleecing by unscrupulous agents can be curtailed.
Complaints have also been made to the principal secretary of Health about these irregular practices but due to lack of security personnel at the Sarojini Devi Hospital, monitoring is very difficult.
