Sothy is a six-year-old boy living in Cambodia with his mother. Like many other children his age, Sothy goes to kindergarten and enjoys playing with toy cars. He also has some stranger shyness. However, his shyness has grown worse as a result of his strabismus.
Strabismus, commonly known as “cross-eyes,” is caused by the lack of coordination of the eye muscles. Sothy was born with his eyes turned inwards, and this has impaired his depth perception and visual acuity. If left untreated, Sothy could eventually lose vision from one or both of his affected eyes.
For $290 Sothy will receive extraocular muscle surgery that will correct the alignment of his eyes by tightening the muscles behind his each eye until they are aligned. The cost of surgery will also cover three days of inpatient care.
Extraocular muscle surgery is very routine, and is the third most common surgery in the United States. After treatment, Sothy will no longer be at risk of losing his vision as a result of his strabismus, and will no longer feel shy about his crossed gaze.
Sothy and his mother are excited for the procedure. “I won’t have to worry about him feeling shy around everyone when he grows up,” Sothy’s mother shares.
