U Kyaw and his family left Burma in 2007 seeking better job opportunities in Thailand. U Kyaw now lives with his wife, daughter and granddaughter in a village in Phop Phra District. U Kyaw and his wife are retired. He looks after their four-year-old granddaughter while his daughter works as a gardener in the village. In his free time, U Kyaw likes to pray and read books about Buddhism. He also enjoys watching movies and loves to spend time with his granddaughter.
In late November 2021, U Kyaw noticed a small white spot on his left pupil. Over time, the spot grew bigger and his vision became more blurred. He decided to have his eyes checked at Mae Tao Clinic (MTC).
In January, U Kyaw and his daughter arrived at MTC, where he was diagnosed with cataracts on both eyes. He was told that he would need cataract surgery at nearby Mae Sot Hospital (MSH). There, the doctor confirmed the diagnosis and found that the cataract in his left eye is more severe and needs to be treated first.
Without treatment, U Kyaw’s vision is severely impacted. His left eye only sees light and dark, while vision in his right eye is very blurred. He requires a guide to walk, and he cannot see faces and is having trouble taking care of his granddaughter. He has also been worried about the impact on his daughter as she has to take time off to bring him to his appointments. In addition, he has been worrying about the cost of his treatment for his family.
Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for U Kyaw. On February 15th, doctors will perform the surgery, during which they will remove U Kyaw’s natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly.
U Kyaw said, “I feel so happy since I learned that an organisation will support the cost of my surgery. I feel very happy and I want to say thank you to all the donors and supporters.”