“It is hard for me to see anything clearly or go outside,” says 71-year-old Yun, a grandmother from Cambodia. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), explains that four years ago, Yun developed a cataract in each eye. Due to this, it is difficult for her to do housework and help her daughter sell food.
A cataract is a thickened, cloudy lens. Over time, the altered lens loses its ability to focus light properly, resulting in blurry or dull vision and increasing difficulty with seeing faraway objects.
While cataracts account for 50-percent of all cases of blindness worldwide, the effects of the condition are often more pronounced in developing countries, like Cambodia.
For $225, Yun will have surgery to remove the cloudy lenses from both of her eyes and replace them with artificial substitutes. Funding for Yun’s treatment also includes post-operative follow-up care. After a brief recovery period, CSC explains that this widely practiced procedure will fully restore Yun’s vision.
The mother of four and grandmother of seven is eager to regain her independence and spend more time with family. She shares, “I hope my eyes can see everything clearly so I can help my family [with] cooking food and taking care of my grandchildren.”