Meet Rin, a 51-year-old rice and crop farmer living in Cambodia. She and her husband have four sons, one daughter, and one grandchild. “In her spare time she enjoys going to the pagoda to listen to the monks pray…she also likes listening to the radio,” says our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC).
“One year ago, Rin developed a cataract in her left eye after an injury with wood,” explains CSC. A cataract is the clouding of one’s normally clear eye lens. Rin’s impaired vision has made it difficult for her to farm and earn her usual income. “It is hard to do my work very well or go anywhere outside that far,” says Rin.
For $150, Rin can undergo a phacoemulsification surgery and receive an intraocular lens (IOL) implant. During surgery, the cataract is broken into small pieces and then extracted. An IOL is then used to replace the eye’s natural lens. CSC expects that after the surgery, Rin’s eye will be healed.
“I hope I can see everything clearly again after treatment so I can do my work at the farm,” says Rin.