“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” wrote Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu. That famous saying has rang true for a 10-year old Indian girl named Tabseratun.

Tabseratun recently made the longest trip of her life when she and her parents journeyed to Thakur Sitaram Seva Kendra Eye Hospital (TSSK), an Operation Eyesight partner hospital located in Malda, West Bengal.

The 175-km journey covering two states took her and her parents over 14 hours. It was not an easy trip! Before making the journey, Tabseratun’s parents needed to arrange for funds to make the travel, leave their other 10 children with their relatives, and take a train and two buses to reach Malda.

The journey was made with a lot of hope. Hope that Tabseratun – who had never been able to see in her entire life – would finally be able to see!

The parents’ hopes were raised during a screening program conducted by TSSK in their village in Bihar. When Dr. Rashi Ray first met Tabseratun, she presumed the child was blind as a result of congenital causes.

But she was aghast when she examined Tabseratun on the slit lamp. The examination showed that Tabseratun had treatable cataracts, which had left her blind since birth.

It’s true: due to lack of awareness and availability of services in their area, the little girl had been blind for 10 long years due to treatable cataracts in her eyes.

Tabseratun spent two weeks in Malda at the hospital, undergoing surgery on both her eyes. She has regained her vision and is able to see for the first time in her life as far as she remembers. Every day spent in the hospital was a day of discovery and wonder. Since then, every day has been a joy!

Now that she is enjoying school and playing with other children in the playground, Tabseratun and her family are grateful to the hospital and Operation Eyesight’s generous donors for helping her regain her sight – and her future!

Read more about the good work happening at our partner hospital, Thakur Sitaram Seva Kendra Eye Hospital.

The post After 10 years of blindness, a child can finally see! appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

The expression, “Seeing the world through a child’s eyes,” is generally imagined to be an idyllic state. However, what if you had to rely on your 10-year-old son to be your “eyes” because you can’t see?

That’s exactly what happened to Asrofi, a 50-year old mother who lives in a tiny village about 100 kilometres away from Thakur Sitaram Sevakenda Eye Hospital, Operation Eyesight’s partner in West Bengal, India.

Essentially blind from cataracts, she depended on her young son to not only do all the cooking and household chores, but act as the small family’s sole bread winner. He earns about 63 rupees (CDN$1.17) per day as a farmer.

When neighbours told Asrofi that she could get help at Thakur Sitaram and didn’t have to live in darkness, she was hopeful. The hospital provided transportation to and from her home, as well as cataract surgery, free of charge. There was no way Asrofi could have afforded treatment without support from Operation Eyesight donors.

Today, Asrofi can take care of their home, cook and even spend time with others in her village. She is happy instead of hopeless. Though her young son is still farming, he has many more options open to him now that he no longer needs to care for his mother.

Asrofi has a few simple, heartfelt words for Operation Eyesight’s supporters: “Thank you for helping my family.”

Learn more about Operation Eyesight’s partnership with Thakur Sitaram Sevakenda Eye Hospital.

The post Depending on a child’s eyes: not so idyllic appeared first on Operation Eyesight.