<p>But there is a ray of hope for parents of the children as American eye specialist M. Marlin will visit Ara, district headquarters of Bhojpur, to study and examine the rare case. <br /><br />Dr S.K. Kedia, a local eye specialist, who was first consulted by parents of most of the children born blind, said: "I come across one or two children being born blind in four to five years but 18 such children in three months was something unheard for me." <br /><br />"I sent the DNA samples of the children to the Madurai-based Arvind Eye Hospital for help but there was no significant progress," Kedia said over telephone.<br /><br />The hospital's senior doctor P. Vijaylakshmi informed Marlin, who agreed to visit Ara to study and examine the blind children.<br /><br />"We have requested the parents of the children to come to Ara Jan 18 for examination by Marlin and other experts," Kedia said. <br /><br />The team of experts will also visit villages Bihiya, Sahpur and Barehara, where the children were born, to study the environment. <br /><br />The Bhojpur district health officials said they have sent a report about the children to the state health department. "We expect a high-level team to visit the district in this connection," an official said.<br /></p>
<p>But there is a ray of hope for parents of the children as American eye specialist M. Marlin will visit Ara, district headquarters of Bhojpur, to study and examine the rare case. <br /><br />Dr S.K. Kedia, a local eye specialist, who was first consulted by parents of most of the children born blind, said: "I come across one or two children being born blind in four to five years but 18 such children in three months was something unheard for me." <br /><br />"I sent the DNA samples of the children to the Madurai-based Arvind Eye Hospital for help but there was no significant progress," Kedia said over telephone.<br /><br />The hospital's senior doctor P. Vijaylakshmi informed Marlin, who agreed to visit Ara to study and examine the blind children.<br /><br />"We have requested the parents of the children to come to Ara Jan 18 for examination by Marlin and other experts," Kedia said. <br /><br />The team of experts will also visit villages Bihiya, Sahpur and Barehara, where the children were born, to study the environment. <br /><br />The Bhojpur district health officials said they have sent a report about the children to the state health department. "We expect a high-level team to visit the district in this connection," an official said.<br /></p>