Mahen and Utra both received cataract surgery at a outreaches run by the Pacific Eye Institute and, together, experienced the joy of restored sight.
Husband and wife Mahen and Utra live in Tavua, a town on the north coast of Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu. Like many people in Fiji’s Western Division, specialist health care is not close to home for Mahen and Utra. For years, the couple lived with worsening vision, unsure where to turn or whether help was even possible.
By 2020, both Mahen and Utra had developed bilateral cataracts. Everyday tasks became increasingly difficult. For Mahen, the impact was immediate. He drove a taxi for a living, and his sight was essential to his work. As his vision deteriorated, he was eventually forced to stop driving.
Mahen worried not only about losing his sight, but about what would happen if it got worse — and who would be there to support Utra.
Utra noticed her own vision was failing when she could no longer read prices at the supermarket. Glasses didn’t help.
“If I had to read anything, goodness me,” she said, holding a piece of paper close to her face. “Still, I couldn’t read it. That time was a bit scary.” She worried she would lose her sight completely.
At the time, eye surgery felt distant and out of reach. The couple didn’t know that cataract surgery services were available until a friend told them about the Pacific Eye Institute (PEI). This was when they realised help might be possible.
PEI, supported by The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ, is based in Suva, on the opposite side of Viti Levu from Tavua. For Mahen and Utra, travelling there would mean a long journey, an overnight stay, and time away from work.
Instead, PEI outreach teams regularly bring eye care services directly to communities that would otherwise struggle to access them.
Utra had her first cataract surgery during an outreach to Ba, a neighbouring town, in 2021. The following year, the PEI team returned to Tavua with the Mobile Eye Clinic — a fully equipped, state-of-the-art surgical facility on wheels — where she had her second surgery.
“It’s as if it’s a little hospital,” Utra said.
The moment her bandage was removed is still vivid. “Bright and shining!” she said. “I could see everything.”
Mahen’s turn came later, during outreach visits to Rakiraki Hospital. He remembers the moment his sight returned just as clearly.
“That time, I see everything — far away, small things,” he said. “I told them, ‘Don’t take my hand! I can go everywhere!’”
For the couple, the experience stayed with them not only because their sight improved, but because of how they were treated.
All the staff, they were so friendly,” Utra said. “They took my hand, helped me onto the bed. They made it easy. Same thing for him too.”
Today, Mahen is back at work. Together, the couple manage their day-to-day lives with greater ease — cooking, cleaning, travelling, and planning for the future with confidence.
Out of gratitude, they now host the visiting PEI outreach team for dinner each year when they return to Tavua. As soon as the team arrives, Mahen goes down to greet them and extend the invitation, even though cooking for a large group is no small task.
“We became so close to them,” Utra said. “We were happy to see all of them.”
The couple also make a point of sharing their experience with others in their community.
“If they say they can’t see properly, first thing we refer them to is the Pacific Eye Institute,” Utra said. “We will keep informing people.”
Their story reflects why bringing eye care closer to home matters — ensuring people can access timely treatment, stay connected to their livelihoods, and continue living life on their own terms.
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