Paul’s mother first noticed when he was a toddler that his eyes didn’t point in the same direction. She took him to a hospital where a clinician told her that Paul might lose his eyesight completely if he had surgery to fix the problem. She decided not to take the risk, and by grade four, Paul was having trouble reading. Eventually he could not read the blackboard at all and had to copy notes off other students. His eyes became tired after the long school day, and his classmates teased him about his appearance.

Things changed for Paul in October 2021, when his school was a participant in our School Eye Health Program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) Child Blindness Program. The program has screened more than 86,000 school children in Kenya’s Uasin Gishu County by training teachers to identify students with visual impairments using a smartphone app called Peek Acuity. After the initial screening, students with possible eye conditions are referred to a nearby vision centre or hospital for further assessment.

After the screeners looked at Paul’s eyes, they advised him to go to our partner hospital in nearby Eldoret. When he told his mother, she initially hesitated due to her previous fears that he could lose his vision entirely. But Paul would not give up. “The boy insisted that I take him to hospital because technology has improved and things have changed,” his mother explained.

After consulting with the teacher who screened him, Paul’s mother took him to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital. As a partner in the School Eye Health Program, the hospital’s ophthalmic staff had recently received updated training in pediatric eye health as well as some new medical equipment. At the hospital, Paul was formally diagnosed with a squint, also called strabismus, a condition that causes misalignment of the eyes. He had surgery for the condition, the cost of which was covered through our program.

Today, Paul can see clearly and reads the blackboard with ease. Before surgery, he was always the second last in his class, but now he is among the top 10 of 40 students, and he says that kids no longer make fun of him. With his newly discovered love of math, Paul hopes to become an engineer someday.

With files from Caroline Ikumu

Donate today to help open a world of possibilities for more children like Paul.

The post Restored vision leads to new dreams for sixth grader appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Amidst the back-to-school shopping and birthday party planning, I’ve been reflecting on the journey that brought us to this point – from figuring out the whole new parents thing, to seeing her take her first steps, to watching her blossom from baby to preschooler and now kindergartener.

While this journey certainly has had its challenges, especially now that we have two lively little girls, I can’t help but think of how privileged we are to have access to a wealth of knowledge and resources to help set our children up for success. 

Every parent wants their child to excel in school. We do whatever we can to ensure they have the tools they need to learn and thrive. In these young formative years, one of the most important tools a child needs is good eyesight.   

Did you know that 80 percent of learning is visual?

Last night’s bedtime reading saw us continuing the adventures of Biscuit the Dog. After learning the words “woof” and “and” the evening before, my eldest learned to spot the word “we”, proudly saying it aloud when I pointed my finger to it. 

Learning is about so much more than reading books. I’ve been thinking about all the times I’ll point things out while we’re walking to the playground or strolling through the grocery store, using it as a learning opportunity the way those parenting books tell you to.

“Look, I see a garbage truck. How many dogs do you see? What colour is this apple? Can you help me find the cereal you like?” Kids soak this up like sponges.  

I recently took my eldest to her first ballet performance. She watched in awe, wide-eyed, while I spent most of my time watching her reactions to this new experience.

I also think of my two-year-old, carefully observing her big sister, modelling after her, although I wish she wouldn’t copy everything her sister does. 

So much of their worlds are taken in by sight, and so many aspects of their future will be shaped by the learning they’re doing now.

I’m grateful that my kids have access to eye health care services and that they’re always excited to visit the eye doctor. It might have something to do with the silly bunny they get to watch jump around on the exam screen or the special prize they get at the end, but I’ll take it!

We’ll soon be booking their annual eye exams, and we’ll continue to teach them healthy eye habits, like spending time outdoors, wearing their sunglasses and taking screen breaks. If the day comes when they need eyeglasses or other eye health treatment, we’ll follow the doctor’s advice and remember how fortunate we are to have these services close to home. 

So, on the first day of kindergarten, when I give my daughter a big hug outside her classroom and fight back the proud-yet-kind-of-sad mommy tears, I’ll rest assured knowing that she’s ready, and that she has one of the most important learning tools: healthy vision.   

My work with Operation Eyesight reminds me on a daily basis that there are so many moms, just like me, wanting the best for their children. Only for many parents, eye health care – whether it’s an eye exam, a pair of glasses or other eye treatment – is not an option.

The barriers to eye health care are many, especially for families living in low- and middle-income countries. In my time with Operation Eyesight, I’ve seen how local partnerships and a focus on communities are helping other parents give their kids the best possible start. A big part of that is simply getting connected with the right health resources and the knowledge of how to overcome these barriers.

Find out more about our approach and how we’re setting kids up for success this school year.

The post Reflections of a Soon-to-be Kinder Mom appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Twelve-year-old Hellen was struggling so much at school that she eventually dropped out. What was the point if she could hardly see to keep up with her studies?

At home, she couldn’t help her mother pick up groceries from nearby shops because she couldn’t see to walk alone.

“I depended on my siblings to do my chores, and my mother thought I was being lazy. She didn’t understand my problem,” says a frustrated Hellen.  

As her vision deteriorated, Hellen not only stopped studying – she stopped playing with other kids her age.

Thanks to YOU, there was hope.

Hellen’s life changed the day her teacher screened her eyes at school and referred her for treatment at our partner hospital. Hellen was diagnosed with bilateral cataract and received sight-restoring surgery as well as a pair of prescription eyeglasses.

“Since the operation, my life took another turn,” says Hellen happily. “With my sight back, I’ve made new friends, and I’m confident in my future. I’m grateful for the support I received. Without it, I would still be at home.”

Donors like you made it possible for children like Hellen to see their futures in focus. There are thousands more children like her who are struggling with treatable blindness and low vision. Make a donation today to help keep kids in school and give them hope for a brighter future – For All The World To See!

The post Little girl’s hope for the future is restored appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Our goal for GivingTuesday 2015 was to raise $10,000 so we could screen 7,000 students in Narok, Kenya for eye health issues. Thanks to our amazing donors, we surpassed our fundraising goal! And even better: we were able to screen nearly 20,000 students in Narok!

Narok is a vast county in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley about 120 kilometres from the capital city of Nairobi. It’s a dry region, home to more than 850,000 people, many of whom are the nomadic Maasai people. In Kenya, far distances, high prices, and a lack of eye care workers and ophthalmic equipment make it difficult for people to access eye care. We’re bringing eye care to children in these hard-to-reach places.

Traditionally, we’ve worked with our partner hospitals’ community eye health workers to conduct eye screenings in target areas. However, because there are so few community health workers in Narok, we had to get creative! Our team soon realized the untapped potential of teachers.

In 2014, in partnership with Kenya’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health, 53 teachers were trained to conduct eye exams, screen students for general eye health issues and raise awareness about the importance of eye health. They were also equipped with the tools needed to screen students and keep student eye health records.

Thanks to our GivingTuesday 2015 donors, these teachers were able to utilize their training and resources to conduct eye screenings at local schools. Children identified with eye health problems were then seen by an eye health expert, and those with minor eye issues were treated. Students who needed prescription eyeglasses or had more serious eye issues were referred to our local partner hospital, Narok District Hospital.

Our innovative approach of using trained teachers rather than community health workers led to cost savings. This means that we were able to stretch our donors’ contributions even further than we initially thought!

Our goal was to conduct eye screenings at 14 schools, and in the end, we were able to reach more than 40 schools in total! Each school received a health talk that focused on cleanliness and sanitation (hand- and face-washing are important steps in preventing the spread of blinding trachoma!), and students were provided with eye health information to take home and share with their parents or guardians.

In total, 19,986 students were screened and educated about eye health. Of those 527 students were treated for various eye health-related conditions, such as allergies, bacterial conjunctivitis and vitamin A deficiency. Three students received sight-restoring cataract surgery, and 25 students received new, custom-fitted prescription eyeglasses.

Thanks to our donors, hundreds of children can see! They’re now able to read, learn and prepare for their futures. In addition, schools now have the capacity to identify children with eye conditions and refer them for proper care.

Even better, thousands of students – and their families – now understand the importance of eye health and good hygiene. Not only are we restoring sight, but we’re also preventing others from going blind. With dedicated donors by our side, we CAN eliminate avoidable blindness! Thank you!

The post GivingTuesday 2015: Final report appeared first on Operation Eyesight.