Eyes on Tradition

An eyecare professional reflects on protecting the vision behind Kashmir’s heritage.

- Sana Gul Khurshid

Every day, Kashmiri artisans come to me, bringing the stories of their hands and the weariness of years in their eyes.

These are men and women who craft the soul of Kashmir. Their work produces the soft weave of pashmina, the delicate inlay of papier-maché, and the intricate carvings that decorate homes across the region.

Their craft depends on precision, focus, and endless attention to detail. Their eyes become instruments trained to see the minutest threads, strokes, and patterns.

Over time, I notice that their near vision sharpens at the cost of long-distance sight.

Faces across a room, the trees lining the streets, and the hills beyond the city gradually blur. Their world narrows to the small space where their hands create beauty.

I see artisans in their forties and fifties surprised by this change, asking why their vision has suddenly failed them. They arrive believing their eyes are healthy because the details they see every day remain clear.

But many of them carry cataracts that progressively cloud distance vision. They do not realize how severe their condition has become until it interferes with daily life.