Thy is a 65-year-old married woman from Cambodia who has three daughters and seven grandchildren. She enjoys taking care of her grandchildren and, in her free time, listening to the monks pray on the radio.
Three years ago, Thy developed a cataract in each eye. A cataract occurs when there is a buildup of proteins in the lens of the eye. This causes the lens to become cloudy, disrupting the passage of light through the lens and impairing vision. Most cataracts are due to age-related changes in the eye and account for 50 percent of the world’s cases of blindness.
Because of the cataracts, Thy experiences blurred vision, irritation, tearing, and photophobia (extreme sensitivity to light). It is difficult for her to see things clearly, recognize faces, and go anywhere by herself.
Thy learned about Watsi’s medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), from her son-in-law. She and her grandson traveled for two hours to reach the hospital to be evaluated by CSC doctors.
CSC requests $292 to perform small incision cataract surgery to remove the cloudy lenses from her eyes and replace them with intraocular lens implants. Funding for her treatment also pays for four nights in the hospital, eye drops and ointments, medicine to reduce pain and prevent infection, and two medical consultations.
Thy’s surgery is scheduled for May 16, after which she will be able to see clearly again.