Help a child like Blessing with sight saving cataract surgery
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© CBM
Blessing pictured with his grandmother, Victoria, at their home in Uganda before his cataract surgery
Time is running out for children like Blessing
To see Blessing playing outside his home a year ago, you’d never have guessed anything was wrong. It wasn’t until he moved away from the familiar surroundings of his house that he would stumble and fall. Although hurt, he’d quickly get up, wipe the dirt off his hands and knees, and start to walk again.
Blessing was born with cataracts in both of his eyes. His eyes reacted to light, but he couldn’t recognise faces or objects unless he was up close to them. Time was running out to save his sight.
Blessing was born with cataracts in both of his eyes. His eyes reacted to light, but he couldn’t recognise faces or objects unless he was up close to them. Time was running out to save his sight.
You see, up until the age of eight, vital connections are formed between a child’s eye and their brain. This is when our eyes ‘learn’ to see. So if we can operate in time, we can save a child’s eyesight.
But after the age of eight, it’s too late. The effects of cataracts become permanent.
But after the age of eight, it’s too late. The effects of cataracts become permanent.
Living with cataracts
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Blessing before his surgery, with his grandmother Victoria at their home in Uganda.
In healthy eyes, light passes through a clear lens, located at the front of the eye. With cataracts, the lens clouds over, preventing light from passing through. Images become distorted.
Now for you and I, if this happened, we’d visit our doctor and receive the care we need. But for a child like Blessing, the solution wasn’t so simple. You see, his aunt and grandmother take care of him. Together, they earn just enough money to buy food. So even paying what it would cost to take Blessing to the doctor was more than they could afford.
When we first met Blessing, he was still able to see well enough to walk to school every day. But he struggled with his lessons, as his grandmother told us …
“He cannot read or write properly. At school he has to listen hard to his teacher’s voice as he cannot read anything written on the blackboard. I’m so worried about him.”
CBM’s Mobile Eye Outreach Clinic comes to Blessing’s village
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CBM Project Worker, Agnes, examines Blessing's eyes in his village
Blessing’s aunt and grandmother knew their prayers had been answered, the day one of our CBM project workers, Agnes, arrived in their small Ugandan village. Agnes came to their home and assessed Blessing’s eyes. She then asked his grandmother and aunt to bring Blessing to CBM’s Mobile Eye Outreach clinic, located just outside their village.
Blessing’s grandmother was overjoyed that her grandson would finally receive the treatment he needed … “We can’t pay and still they will help my little Blessing? I promise to do my utmost to support him. I am so happy! Thanks ever so much that Blessing will be able to see again.”
At the eye clinic, the doctors diagnosed Blessing with bilateral cataracts – cataracts in both of his eyes. He needed to travel to Mengo hospital right away to receive cataract surgery.
Blessing’s cataract surgery
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Blessing, with his aunt Stella, after surgery. He sees his reflection clearly for the first time.
Blessing arrived at Mengo hospital and his operation was scheduled for the next day. In the operation, surgeons implanted artificial lenses into both of Blessing’s eyes. After the surgery, nurses inserted antibiotic drops into his eyes, and covered his eyes with large pads.
It’s hard to believe, but a simple operation, performed under general anaesthetic, is all it takes to save the sight of a child with cataracts. And this sight-restoring surgery costs €120.
The morning after Blessing’s operation, the doctor arrived to remove the large eye pads and bandages.
Blessing slowly opened his eyes … and smiled.
Blessing spent the day after his operation racing around the hospital. He no longer needed to hold his aunt’s hand. There was no stopping him! He examined a colourful juice bottle and a pack of biscuits. And he stopped to tell every nurse he met “I can see much better now!”
Follow up care for Blessing
With CBM’s help, Blessing’s eyesight will continue to improve. Over the coming months and years, we’ll provide him with all the follow-up care he needs …
… like specially made glasses, so he’ll be able to clearly see everything his teacher writes on the blackboard
… antibiotic drops to help his eyes stay healthy as they continue to heal
… and we’ll help him in school, so that he gets the education he deserves and needs to build himself a promising new future.
If we didn’t reach Blessing in time, he would have gone permanently blind.
Right now there’s another child like Blessing who’s running out of time. And he needs your help. Your gift today will go towards saving the sight of another child who’s slowly going blind from cataracts. Please will you help us reach another child before it's too late?
Sponsor cataract surgery for a child like Blessing 
