To is a father of seven children and grandfather of nine living in Cambodia. To has recently had difficulty recognizing the faces of his family members, because he has developed cataracts, or clouded lenses, in each of his eyes. For the past two years, these have been “causing him blurred vision [and] tearing,” says our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). “He can’t see anything clearly.”
53-year-old To’s eyes have become so sensitive to light that he cannot go outside, making his day-to-day occupation as a rice farmer almost impossible. Since this work is how To supports his family, To’s daughter says she is anxious for him to receive treatment so that “he can easily do work and […] not worry about his vision loss any more.” Cataracts are currently the cause of approximately half of the world’s cases of blindness.
For $225, To will receive a small incision cataract surgery and Intraocular lens implant in both of his eyes. This two-step operation will remove the clouded lens in each eye and replace it with a fully functioning artificial lens. As a result of this surgery, CSC tells us, “To will be able to see clearly again.”
To says he hopes that after surgery “I can easily go anywhere outside, and drive my motor better too.”
