Hom is a 60-year-old Cambodian rice farmer. She is a single woman and has six younger sisters and one younger brother. She manages her rice farm, and when she has time, she likes to go to the pagoda or listen to monks pray on the radio.
Five years ago, Hom developed a pterygium in her left eye, causing her tearing, itchiness, and blurry vision. This makes it very difficult to manage her crops alone. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil.
When Hom learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, she traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. Hom needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $225. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for October 12th.
Hom is hopeful to feel better soon and said, “I hope I will see better and stop the irritation and I can go back to planting rice again.”
