Sokheng comes from a rural province in Cambodia. His mother is a vegetable farmer and his father (pictured with him above) works at a food cart, sometimes cooking at weddings and other special events to make enough money to support the family.
When Sokheng’s father brought him to Children’s Surgical Centre because he began to notice his son had very little energy, doctors at CSC immediately diagnosed Sokheng with ptosis, a condition that occurs when the muscles that raise the eyelid are not strong enough to hold it up properly. Without treatment, ptosis can lead to constant headaches, exhaustion, and vision loss, and could permanently affect Sokheng’s ability to succeed in school, find work, or live a normal life.
Sokheng’s doctors say it’s critical that he receives treatment as soon as possible. By performing surgery to use the muscle of the forehead to help lift the eyelid, they believe they can help Sokheng see clearly and prevent the other debilitating symptoms of ptosis. This is a situation where a relatively straightforward surgery could be the difference between a constant struggle and a completely normal life.