A reflection on how genuine vision encompasses understanding, empathy, and the collective responsibility to ensure no one is left in darkness
Same-ul-Haq Wani
Sight is often mistaken for the mere ability to see — a function of eyes translating light into form. But true sight is far more intimate; it is the quiet language of perception, the tender dialogue between the visible and the felt. It begins where vision ends — in the spaces where the world is not only observed but understood, where beauty is not simply witnessed but absorbed by the soul.
Sight is the mind’s poetry written in light — a symphony that allows one to recognise love in a glance, grief in silence, and hope in a horizon yet unseen. It is the gentle awareness that gives colour to emotion and direction to thought. It is what makes a mother identify her child in a crowd not by sight alone, but by instinct, and what makes a poet see verses in the rain long before words find the page.
To see is not merely to look — it is to connect, to interpret, to feel the pulse of existence in its smallest gestures. Even when eyes fail, sight often lingers — in memory, in imagination, in the heart’s own way of perceiving what lies beyond light. It is what transforms darkness from emptiness into depth, what turns absence into presence, and silence into a form of seeing.
Sight, then, is not confined to the act of vision; it is an inward awakening — a harmony between sense and spirit. It is how the world touches us and how we, in turn, touch the world. To truly see is to live consciously, to recognise the sacred in the ordinary, and to find clarity not only in the eyes but in understanding itself.
In a land like Kashmir, where every dawn paints poetry across the mountains and every reflection on Dal Lake whispers a story, the essence of sight holds a sacred place. Here, to see is to belong — to the sky, to the river, to one another. Yet, amid this natural splendour, countless hearts live in partial or complete darkness, reminding us that the gift of sight must never be taken for granted.
Sight, as profound and personal as it is, thrives only when it is cherished. This year’s global theme — “Love Your Eyes” — is more than a slogan; it is a philosophy of gratitude and responsibility. It reminds humanity that caring for our eyes is not merely a medical routine but an emotional and moral act — a recognition of the very gift that connects us to the beauty of life itself. To love your eyes is to pause amid the rush of modern existence and acknowledge how every sunrise we witness, every face we recognise, and every written word we read becomes possible through this unique miracle of vision.
Loving one’s eyes means nurturing them with care, protecting them from strain, giving them rest in a sleepless digital world, and seeking timely attention when something feels amiss. It also means creating a society where everyone — regardless of geography, age, or income — has the right to see clearly and live fully. In the context of Kashmir, where the landscape itself teaches the language of light, this theme finds even deeper resonance. To love one’s eyes here is to love the colours of the Valley, to protect the sight that beholds its splendour, and to ensure that no child, elder, or worker loses that privilege to neglect or lack of awareness.
When the world unites under the banner of “Love Your Eyes,” it is, in truth, a collective pledge — a vow that we will not take for granted the light that defines our humanity. For in loving our eyes, we are, in essence, loving our ability to dream, to feel, and to see not just the world before us, but the infinite beauty that lies within.
Yet even within these challenges, a powerful narrative of resilience is being written. A growing trend of achievers is emerging from the Valley, redefining the limits of possibility. We see this in the academic dedication of scholars like Raziya Samoon, Tariq Bashir, and Ruhi Jaan, who, as Assistant Professors, are illuminating minds and proving that insight transcends sight. It is echoed in the legal acumen of Saniya Zehra, a master of law from the prestigious National Law University, Patiala, who is championing the right to education and justice through her advocacy. Meanwhile, technocrats and social workers like Abrar Ahmed are at the forefront of a digital revolution, championing accessibility and digital literacy to bridge the technological divide.
A particularly hopeful signal of this revolution is the pioneering initiative this year, where a couple of students from Kashmir are set to become the first to write their computer-based 12th Class CBSE examinations — a transformative step that promises to revolutionise digitally accessible education for the visually impaired.
This wave of achievement extends beyond these notable names, finding its pulse in a younger generation now receiving degrees in diverse fields like Business Administration, Computer Science, and the Arts. This collective ascent is not a series of isolated successes but a quiet revolution — a definitive statement on the indomitable potential residing within the region’s visually impaired community.
Yet, for every achiever, the path is often needlessly steep. A significant hurdle for school-going children with visual impairment is the stark lack of accessible learning materials. The scarcity of audiobooks and the absence of standardised large-print font books in schools create an information famine, leaving young minds hungry for knowledge that their peers access effortlessly. This gap in educational equity dims potential at its very dawn.
Together, these individuals form the unseen light of Kashmir — the proof that blindness does not reside in the eyes but in the absence of will. Their stories are not just of survival but of triumph; not of darkness, but of the art of finding light where others see none. In their lives, the message of World Sight Day — “Love Your Eyes” — finds its truest meaning: a reminder that vision begins in the heart long before it reaches the eyes.
It is important to recognise that the struggle of vision loss is not solitary. It extends across families, towns, and districts — across Kashmir. In recent hospital-based studies in Srinagar, nearly 58.36% of patients presented with some form of visual impairment, while 12% were observed to be blind. Yet another district of Kashmir, among people aged 50 and above, the prevalence of bilateral cataract-induced blindness has been found to be around 4.16%.
These numbers are not mere data points — they represent the silent lives of neighbours, elders, and children whose world dims gradually when help is delayed or unreachable.
Many of the causes of visual impairment in Kashmir are common, yet preventable or treatable. Cataracts remain the leading cause of ocular morbidity (about 30%) among patients coming to tertiary eye care centres in the region. Uncorrected refractive errors (problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism) follow close behind. Conditions like diabetic retinopathy, which can rob people of vision over time if blood sugar is not controlled or screenings are neglected, are emerging as serious threats. Glaucoma, often called the “silent thief of sight,” lurks undetected in many until damage is advanced.
Yet these conditions do not act alone. Barriers — both tangible and invisible — stand in the way of treatment: the cost of surgery or frequent clinic visits, distance to specialised centres, lack of awareness that some vision loss can be prevented or reversed, and delays until the condition becomes severe. The combination of these makes the difference between seeing tomorrow’s sunrise and missing it altogether.
The journey toward a world where sight is cherished and accessible demands more than awareness — it calls for deliberate action, rooted in empathy and responsibility. The challenges of visual impairment are not abstract; they are lived realities in every street, school, office, and home. Addressing them requires the concerted effort of authorities, society, and individuals alike.
To Authorities: Governance is the scaffolding upon which inclusion stands. Public infrastructure must be redesigned with accessibility at its core — tactile paving, audible traffic signals, and barrier-free buildings are not luxuries but essential rights. Digital services, from government websites to mobile applications, must be inclusive, compatible with screen readers, and resilient against disruptions that too often leave people cut off from critical information. Policies should enforce accountability, ensuring that accessibility is embedded into the very blueprint of public life.
To Society: Inclusion is a collective responsibility. Schools must welcome visually impaired students as equal participants in learning, while workplaces should provide opportunities that recognise skill over sight. Communities can dismantle barriers by learning basic interaction etiquette, fostering awareness, and celebrating ability rather than pity. Every act of understanding and accommodation transforms isolation into belonging, silence into voice, and limitation into possibility.
To Every Individual: Empathy is the light that bridges perception and action. Advocacy is not passive; it is the insistence that the world be navigable, welcoming, and equitable for all. Loving and protecting one’s own eyes, as World Sight Day urges, extends naturally to creating a society where no one is left in darkness. Every step taken to support accessibility, every effort to amplify the voices of the visually impaired, and every conscious act to remove obstacles is a testament to the truth that sight is not merely personal — it is a shared responsibility.
Kashmir, a land of breathtaking light and shadow, has the potential to shine not only through its mountains and lakes but through the dignity, inclusivity, and opportunity it offers its people. The path forward is clear: deliberate action, heartfelt empathy, and unyielding commitment. In this collective vision, sight is no longer a privilege but a right — a light that illuminates not only the world outside but the humanity within.
Amid the mountains, rivers, and valleys that have inspired generations, the true beauty of Kashmir lies not only in its landscapes but in the light of its people. The journey of the visually impaired reminds us that vision is more than the ability to see; it is the courage to perceive, the resilience to navigate, and the hope to thrive despite barriers. Their struggles, far from being isolated, mirror a collective responsibility — to create a Valley where every citizen can experience life in its full depth and colour.
A Kashmir that embraces accessibility is a Kashmir that celebrates dignity, equity, and inclusion. It is a land where children can explore their surroundings safely, where students can learn without limitation, and where workplaces, streets, and public spaces welcome all, regardless of physical ability. When accessibility becomes the standard, empathy the instinct, and action the habit, the Valley itself transforms into a place where everyone can witness its poetry, its light, and its splendour.
The stories of role models like Raziya Samoon, Tariq Bashir, Saniya Zehra, and Abrar Bhat illuminate the path forward — showing that determination, knowledge, and compassion can overcome even the harshest obstacles. Their lives are a living testament to the fact that when society invests in inclusion, it invests in hope, progress, and shared humanity.
Let this vision guide us. Let it inspire authorities to enforce accessibility, communities to embrace inclusivity, and every individual to champion empathy over pity. In striving for a Kashmir that is fully accessible, we do not merely restore sight — we illuminate lives, amplify potential, and honour the shared love we hold for this Valley.
And so, let us pledge on this World Sight Day to weave a Kashmir not just of breathtaking sights but of boundless insight — where every child, regardless of the light their eyes can hold, can trace the contours of a story, and every soul can read the poetry of their own potential.
Let the rustle of the Chinar leaves be a Braille of ancient wisdom, and the murmur of the Jhelum an audiobook of timeless grace. For in the end, the most profound vision is the one we build together — a symphony of hope where every heart becomes a window, and every life, a testament to the light that never truly fades.
About the Author
Same-ul-Haq Wani, a visually impaired teacher from Drugmulla, Kupwara, has been serving in the J&K School Education Department for over 20 years. His writings reflect his deep insight into inclusion, empathy, and the power of vision beyond sight.
