Here, we’ve helped more than 1.5 million people experiencing blindness or severe vision loss by partnering with government hospitals and other NGOs.

But help is only possible when families are aware of the services available to them…

Single mother Mary and her daughters Hannah, 10, and Lydia, 7, live together in Ghana in a modest plywood home. Due to the urgency of keeping her children safe from an abusive father, Mary didn’t recognize her daughters’ vision issues for quite some time.

Thankfully, her husband was eventually arrested and she and her daughters were finally safe, but Mary was left to care for the whole family with the sole financial support of her lime selling business.

No longer in danger, Mary noticed that Hannah and Lydia had a hard time seeing. They brought objects close to their faces to identify them, and teachers noticed their difficulty reading and the extra time it took each girl to complete simple tasks. Mary could not afford to take her daughters to see a doctor and sought help from several herbalists to no avail.

“Nothing was working, and I was worried that my children would live all their lives without having a proper view of the world,” Mary explains.

Mary had all but lost hope for her daughters when she noticed a sign for Watborg Eye Services, a secondary eye health facility we established. She took Hannah and Lydia there, and they were each diagnosed with bilateral cataracts and then promptly received surgery – at no cost to them, thanks to generous donors like you.

The two girls also needed prescription glasses, so they each picked out a pair and now wear them proudly at school, reading and writing with ease.

Mary is very grateful to Operation Eyesight and the staff at Watborg Eye Services. “I am now very confident that my children will have a better future,” says Mary. The two girls are also confident in their futures. “Since I can read well now, I know I will become the teacher I have always wished to be,” says Lydia. And for Hannah? “I will become a pilot,” she says.

Our unique approach empowers underserved communities in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa to address eye health care and, by consequence, whole person health care.

With your help, we can reach more families like Mary’s, in Ghana and in our other countries of work. We can ensure facilities are well known and easily accessible. With your support, we can transform lives and give children the opportunity to see a brighter future.

The post Surgeries and eyeglasses transformed their lives appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Her vision first became blurry in her left eye, then shortly afterwards, her right. Her once vibrant life became a daily struggle. Simple household tasks now felt insurmountable, and venturing beyond her home to visit neighbours or buy groceries was impossible. Khodeja found herself dependent on her family, unable to even visit her own daughters. The loss of independence weighed heavily on her. She did not seek treatment due to financial constraints, and her concerns mounted.  

“I am just worried of losing my sight and being unable to see my grandchildren again,” said Khodeja. “It would be a devastating state for me if I lose my sight. I don’t want to be a burden to my family.” 

One day, a knock on her door informed Khodeja of a free eye screening camp to be conducted at the Madarganj Vision Centre, established in partnership with Operation Eyesight. Khodeja became hopeful and decided to take a chance. 

At the screening camp, Khodeja was diagnosed with mature cataracts and referred for surgery. Initially, she feared the operation would be painful and worried about its success. She also worried about the cost. Her family had almost given up hope, resigned to the idea that Khodeja would spend the rest of her life in darkness. 

But the compassionate staff at the Madarganj Vision Centre dispelled her fears, and soon Khodeja was travelling approximately 100 km to the BNSB Eye Hospital in Mymensingh. There, Khodeja received the cataract surgery she needed, free of charge. It was a second chance at sight, a second chance at life. 

Today, Khodeja’s eyes sparkle with joy. With one eye completely healed and the other now strengthened with prescription eyeglasses, her clear vision has been restored.  She has regained her independence and once again feels capable of contributing to her family’s well-being by resuming her household tasks. 

“I thank my community, because during my difficult time, they supported me in many ways, ” Khodeja says. 

Together, we can help more people like Khodeja through the Gift of Sight. 

Please donate today.  

The post Purpose restored with clear vision  appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

She is a wife and a mother of four and her family, like so many others in her village, has faced hardships that seem insurmountable. Her children, eager to learn and grow, were forced to drop out of school due to financial constraints. Instead, they worked as casual labourers, their young dreams cast aside to fend for the family. 

After decades helping farm her small piece of land, Esther began struggling with vision impairment. For three long years, she battled bilateral cataracts, losing not only her vision but also her independence. The simplest tasks became challenging, and she could no longer contribute to her family’s welfare. 

“I felt like dying,” Esther confessed, “I had become a stranger to myself. I was in darkness and always afraid. I thought I was under a spell.” Her fears extended beyond the confines of her home. She dreaded the rains, imagining herself caught outside, vulnerable to the elements. 

Esther’s neighbour Caroline was aware of her struggles and referred her to Huruma Sub-County Referral Hospital for assessment. “As soon as Caroline mentioned that she had found a way for me to have surgery on my eyes, I became even more worried. I had fears that I wouldn’t make it out alive with my age. I had no clue that it was a simple surgery. Again, I had no financial capabilities to pay for the surgery,” she explained. 

The road to recovery stretched 47 km, but Esther’s determination carried her to the Huruma Sub-County Referral Hospital Eye Unit in Uasin Gishu County, where she received surgery on her right eye. Caroline paid a small fee of 2,500 Kenyan Shillings (22.89 CAD,) and the rest was made possible thanks to the generosity of our donors. 

Esther’s transformation was life changing. Her restored sight opened a world of possibilities. “I am so happy to have regained my sight back,” she said. “I even hugged one of the surgeons and thanked them for the good job. They were heaven-sent.” 

Once she receives the second surgery in her left eye, Esther plans to return to home, where she will farm and help provide for her family once more.  

When you give the Gift of Sight this holiday season, you can give someone like Esther the chance to feel alive again. You can give a parent or grandparent the ability to provide for their family and regain their independence. 

With your support, we can bring light and hope to many more people like Esther. 

Please give the Gift of Sight today – For All The World to See! 

The post Fears subside thanks to the Gift of Sight appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Yet for some people in our communities of work, it’s difficult to be optimistic about what’s to come. Samad is a 10-year-old boy who lives in a small village in Northern India. He has had vision loss in his right eye his entire life. Unfortunately, Samad’s parents both have physical disabilities, cannot work and can barely scrounge enough to feed their family, let alone find the funds to correct Samad’s partial vision loss. 

Seeing through one eye only was all Samad had ever known, and it seemed this would be his future as well. He struggled to see the world clearly and wondered if an education and the ability to provide for himself and a family of his own one day would ever be attainable. 

But thanks to our global community of donors, Samad can now imagine a promising future.  

A community health worker trained by Operation Eyesight was conducting door-to-door screenings in the area and discovered that Samad had a cataract in his right eye. She urged his parents to take him to a nearby vision centre, but they weren’t convinced anything could ever change. This was the only reality they had ever known for their son, and they couldn’t afford treatment nor the expenses associated with getting him to the vision centre. So they didn’t go.  

The tenacious community health worker followed up, informing his parents that a simple checkup could determine the prognosis of Samad’s condition and that our sustainable and inclusive model empowers those who can afford to pay for their treatments to do so, allowing us to subsidize the cost for those who cannot.  

Finally convinced, Samad’s parents took him to visit the Nehtaur Vision Centre at the C.L. Gupta Eye Institute, where he learned that he had a mature cataract in his right eye and required surgery as soon as possible to restore his vision. That November, Samad received his surgery and was finally able to see with both eyes for the first time in his life.  

Thanks to generous donors like you, Samad has received a transformational gift. He can now see the world through two eyes – just like other children – and picture a bright future ahead.  

Right now, there are many children like Samad who are still waiting to receive the Gift of Sight.  

Together, we can make a profound difference in the lives of many. 

Please give the Gift of Sight this holiday season – For All The World To See! 

The post The Gift of Sight is the gift of a promising future appeared first on Operation Eyesight.