Patient stories

Blindness doesn’t always take away your independence, but it can stop you from providing for your family.

After her surgery, Elizabeth could see properly for the first time - a moment that marked the beginning of a normal childhood.

A once vital and fit man, Karlpat's life was torn from under him when he was diagnosed with diabetes.

She got her sight back thanks to our supporters. But they also gave her back her confidence, her independence and her happiness.

Rex had a very dense cataract in his left eye, reminding us cataract blindness is not confined to the elderly.

Without access to quality eye care, an everyday accident led to a long and painful loss of independence for Bethe.

Clerence has suffered from diabetes since she was a baby. One of the many complications is diabetes eye disease.

Fearful, helpless, hurting… then a 20-minute operation gave him his sight back and his life.

Gabriella's cataract surgery changed her life, enabling her to go to school and have a childhood.

When a child needs an emergency operation to save his sight, you don't hold back.

When Timwia and Nawere met, it was love at first sight. Now it's love at second sight.

Having cataracts in both eyes meant Bibiane could no longer look after herself.

Jesse is a village chief and keen gardener, relying on his sight to make a living.

Platini was born with cataracts that gradually got worse as he got older.

Floyd was building a house when he got a splinter in his eye, causing a cataract to form.

Raj worked her entire life to care for her family but felt her blindness made her a burden.

Toese relied on his eight-year-old son to look after him, which meant he couldn’t go to school.

Globally, women account for more than 60 per cent of all people who are blind. Mere was one of these women.

Without his sight, Solomone couldn’t work as a fisherman to provide for his family.

After 20 long years of blindness, Luke thought he would never see again.

Charlie had cataracts in both eyes, making his job in construction extremely dangerous.

Hepi’s blindness made her feel incomplete. She couldn’t fulfil her duties to her husband or her daughter.

Valentina can finally see her grandchildren again after her sight-saving operation.

Durkita, a crocodile hunter, travelled for three days by canoe to have his sight restored.

Vani spent 12 years in darkness because of cataracts. She’d never seen some of her grandchildren.

Ioane's eye was injured while he was playing with his friends by a rubbish heap.

Thanks to her sight-saving operation, Deonisia regained her independence.