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QAV’S ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY 8

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QAV IN THE COMMUNITY

QAV’S ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY.

Something as simple as a pair of glasses can be truly life-changing.

Month 8 I Low Vision

Something as simple as a pair of glasses can be truly life-changing.

People living in the world’s poorest places often have little or no access to basic eye health services. CBM and their partner hospitals provide glasses and low vision devices to people who are visually impaired, enabling them to get an education and work to support their families.

This month, as part of our Right to Sight campaign with CBM UK, we’re sharing the stories of best friends Junior and Grace, from Zimbabwe, who were struggling in school because of their poor vision, but have now been fitted for glasses and are able to pursue their education and ambitions.

 

Junior’s story

It’s not a surprise to Junior that he needs glasses. He’s been having problems with his eyes for a long time now. When he gets to school, he cannot see the blackboard and asks friends to tell him what’s written on there. His eyes start itching when he strains them.

Junior has never had an eye test before, or seen an eye health professional. His mother and sister also have sight problems. His mother supports the family on her own, working as a security guard. She’s short-sighted and used to have glasses to help her see clearly. But when the glasses broke, she could not afford to replace them. She’s been living with poor vision for over 15 years.

Things change for Junior when he attends an eye screening at his school. CBM-supported health workers carry out vision tests on pupils at the school and identify if they need low vision devices, such as glasses. Junior is referred to a local hospital to see a refractionist. There he chooses a pair of glasses, which his mother is relieved to discover are subsidised by CBM. He’s very happy to be able to see clearly again and read without painful, itching eyes. Now he will be able to see the blackboard at school, which will make learning much easier. His dream is to be an engineer or an IT specialist one day.

 

Grace’s story

Grace’s favourite subject at school is history. She especially likes European history: “I think, it’s important to know about other countries”, she says. During lessons, Grace has to sit at the front of the class so that she can see the blackboard. She has problems with her vision when it’s shady or windy.

Grace’s mother also struggles because of her poor sight but her father tells us “Sometimes it is hard to have food for the whole family. In these times, I need to decide between new glasses or breakfast for my children.”

At an eye screening at Grace’s school, the CBM team finds that Grace needs glasses. She’s referred to a local hospital to see a refractionist and is prescribed glasses free of charge. She can’t stop smiling whilst she’s trying them on. Grace feels much more confident now and is looking forward to wearing her glasses in class.

 

Find out more about CBM’s sight saving work in the world’s poorest communities.

Image: Junior and Grace smiling with their new glasses on. ©CBM/U.Kleiner

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QAV’S ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY 7

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QAV IN THE COMMUNITY

QAV’S ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY.

World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day is coming up on the 30th January. This month, as part of our Right to Sight campaign with CBM UK, we’re learning more about NTDs and discovering the progress that’s been made to #BeatNTDs in the world’s poorest places and the action still needed!
Month 7 I Neglected Tropical Diseases

What are Neglected Tropical Diseases?

NTDs are a group of ancient diseases that threaten 1.7 billion people living in the poorest and most marginalized communities worldwide – where there is little or no access to clean water and sanitation.

These diseases blind, disable and disfigure people, taking away not only their health, but also their chances of staying in school, earning a living, or even being accepted by their family or community.

Since 2012, 33 countries have eliminated at least one NTD. Some of the most well-known NTDs include Trachoma, River Blindness and Leprosy.

Berthine’s story

64-year-old Berthine adores her grandchildren, but she’s only ever seen the three eldest because she’s lost her sight to River Blindness.

Without treatment, River Blindness causes permanent blindness. Sadly, it is too late to save Bertine’s sight, but we can protect generations to come – including her grandchildren.

Together with their long-term partner, HANDS, CBM is working alongside communities in Nigeria, to eliminate NTDs. This includes providing regular medication to protect people from River Blindness and other NTDs and improving access to clean water and sanitation. Find out more.

CBM has also been working in partnership with The Leprosy Mission Nigeria and University of Jos to improve mental health support for people affected by skin NTDs like leprosy, lymphatic filariasis and Buruli Ulcer. Find out more.

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QAV’s ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY 6

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QAV IN THE COMMUNITY

QAV’s ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY.

This month, we’re delving deeper into the eye condition cataracts – the leading cause of blindness worldwide – and exploring why it’s so important that children are diagnosed, and treated, early on.

Month 6 | Cataracts

What are Cataracts?

Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, obscuring the vision. They can occur in one or both eyes. Over time, if untreated, the lens becomes opaque, leading to blindness.Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, causing around half of all blindness.  The condition can be treated with straightforward, sight-restoring surgery, but for millions of people in the world’s poorest places, treatment is out of reach.

Cataracts are most commonly diagnosed among older people, but they may also occur in younger people and children, even from birth. If a child is born with cataracts, the condition must be treated in the first few years of life; if not their sight will not develop properly and the child will be permanently, irreversibly blind.

It’s vital that children with cataracts are reached quickly, or they face a lifetime of blindness.

Did you know? Cataracts can be removed with an operation costing as little as £24 for an adult or £95 for a child? The impact lasts a lifetime!

Adip’s story

6-year-old Adip has bi-lateral cataracts, but families like his – farmers in rural Nepal – cannot afford sight-saving treatment.

They can only watch on, as their son loses his sight. “Some say that Adip needs to wear glasses for the rest of his life, others say he needs frequent surgeries in the future. We are farmers; we don’t have knowledge to understand all this. We are worried.”

Children living with sight loss and disabilities are more likely to miss out on education than any other group, making up a third of all children who are not in school. But education is one of the main ways we can stop cycles of poverty, because receiving an education means that there is a chance of better employment in the future.

The sooner children like Adip are reached, the better, not just so children have a better future, but so that their bodies can develop and heal properly after surgery. There is no doubt that the last year had been incredibly challenging. Healthcare services across the world have been under enormous pressure due to the pandemic, especially in countries like Nepal where many people with disabilities have struggled to access food, medicine and equipment.

This Christmas you can give the Miracle gift of sight to children, like Adip, living in the world’s poorest places. Find out more about CBM’s Christmas Miracles campaign.

Images: Top – Dipendra (11) from Nepal, having an eye examination. Bottom – Adip (6) from Nepal, at home. ©CBM

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Community

QAV’s ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY 5

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QAV IN THE COMMUNITY

QAV’s ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY.

This month, as part of our #RightToSight campaign, we’re sharing the inspiring stories of Nhung, Khut and Pom who live in remote communities in Vietnam. They all faced huge barriers to accessing …
Month 5 | #LoveYourEyes: stories from Vietnam

Many of us take our sight for granted and we often forget how fortunate we are to have easy access to eye health services here in the UK. 90% of visual impairment could be prevented or treated, but millions of people worldwide don’t have access to eye tests, glasses or treatment like cataract surgery.

To address the bigger picture at the country and global level, we need to be aware of our own eye health, which is why the theme for World Sight Day (14th October) was all about #LoveYourEyes.

This month, as part of our #RightToSight campaign, we’re sharing the inspiring stories of Nhung, Khut and Pom who live in remote communities in Vietnam. They all faced huge barriers to accessing eye health care, until receiving sight-restoring cataract surgery at CBM’s partner hospital.

Nhung – 6 years old

Nhung is a lively, friendly and outgoing little girl (pictured below with her older sister, La). She’s been living in pain for over a year because of the cataracts in her left eye, which leaves her especially sensitive to sunlight. Nhung lives in a small village, 130km away from the bustling town of Dien Bien in Vietnam. It’s a long, winding, five-hour car journey to get there – a journey that most families cannot afford, including Nhung’s. This is the reason that Nhung has been unable to access sight-saving treatment… until now.

To reach Nhung’s family home, CBM staff hike down a steep narrow path, through dense bushland – carrying their equipment. The village elders and extended family stand outside Nhung’s home, excited about greeting them. Nhung sings a song to welcome the CBM staff and explains that she loves singing and leads the choir at school.

Nhung lives in an old wooden house, built with roughly sawn wooden planks and a tin roof. She shares this with her parents, older brother and sister and grandparents. An open fire with a large pot on it is used for cooking – but fills the home with smoke. This smoke irritates Nhung’s already painful eye and she continually rubs it. Without running water for washing hands, Nhung rubs dirt and grit into her eye – making the pain worse and the risk of infection high. 

Nhung’s family are farmers – they keep animals and grow crops to eat.  This provides the family with food, but there isn’t money left over for much else. Her older sister explains that she loves her sister so much, but is upset when she thinks of her sisters’ eyesight becoming so bad.

Nhung’s mother and father tell the CBM worker that they are really worried about her eyesight. As they explain this, the stress and concern on her father’s face is clear. Her mother wipes away tears as she speaks about her daughter’s struggles with her failing eyesight.

Sadly, Nhung’s eye examination reveals that her condition is more complicated than first thought, but there is hope… the family can take Nhung to CBM’s partner hospital, Dien Bien Social Disease Centre, thanks to CBM’s support with funding travel and accommodation costs. The whole family is relieved when Nhung’s cataract operation is a success.

“I am really happy I can see clearly by both eyes”

Khut – 79 years old

Khut has one of the biggest and best smiles you’ve ever seen. He lives with his family in a poor, rural village in Vietnam and his daughter-in-laws help to care for him.

He supports his family by earning income through his small fish farm. During the week he frequently stays at a very small, roughly built wooden hut next to the fish farm – it’s perched on the side of a hill and means he can look after his fish farm and the chickens he keeps there too.

Khut’s son worries about him staying at the fish farm by himself, now that his vision has deteriorated. But Khut says that he needs to be there to care for the fish – and keep the animals safe.

Around 10 years ago, Khut had a cataract operation on his right eye, but now the vision in his left eye has started to deteriorate. He knows how vital good vision is for him to be able remain independent and continue supporting his family.

Thanks to CBM supporters, and our partner hospital in Vietnam, Khut is able to have surgery to remove the cataracts from his left eye. He is so thankful and overjoyed that he can see clearly again.

“I am really thankful for their support so I can get my vision back and I can enjoy the happiness with my grandchildren and my children.”

Pom – 62 years’ old

Pom’s smile is infectious – you wouldn’t know the hardship she’s had to face, being unable to see clearly for over 10 years.

She lives with her extended family in a wooden Tai style house, which looks out over rice paddies. The family survives by raising their own chickens and a pig, growing vegetables and having a dairy cow. They only earn enough to provide food for their family and have been unable to afford treatment to restore Pom’s sight.

Pom is desperate to regain her independence and be able to see and look after her precious grandchildren again. She travels one hour by bike, accompanied by her daughters, to CBM’s partner hospital, to have an operation to remove the cataracts. She’s so excited to regain her vision.

“I really hope that after the operation I can see clearly and I can cook meal for my grandchildren, for my husband, and for my children too. I hope that after the doctor fix my vision, I can be more independent and I so can go to the neighbour’s home.”

After her successful surgery, Pom returns home to her family. Her face beams when she holds and looks down at her new grandson, who is four weeks old. She says she’s looking forward to helping her daughter to care for him, once her eye patch is removed and she can see clearly again.

It’s obvious from the way that Pom’s daughters and husband look out for her that she is a much loved wife, mother and grandmother. Pom faced a long journey to get to the health clinic – and had never travelled that far before – but now, the future is much brighter for her and her family.

Nearly everyone on the planet will experience an eye health issue in their lifetime and more than a billion people worldwide do not have access to eye care services.

It’s important to be aware of your eye health, get tested regularly and learn to #LoveYourEyes.

Find out more about CBM’s sight-saving work in the world’s poorest places.

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QAV’s ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY 4

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QAV IN THE COMMUNITY

QAV’s ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY.

This month, we’re celebrating some of these amazing #EyeHealthHeroes by introducing you to the incredible team at CBM’s partner Nkhoma Eye Clinic in Malawi – watch the 5 short films below.
Month 4 | Eye Health Heroes

Eye health professionals are on the frontline of preventing avoidable blindness in the world’s poorest communities.

This month, we’re celebrating some of these amazing #EyeHealthHeroes by introducing you to the incredible team at CBM’s partner Nkhoma Eye Clinic in Malawi – watch the 5 short films below.

Steve – Theatre Technician, Nkhoma

Louis – Ophthalmic Officer, Nkhoma

Hytone – Administrator, Nkhoma

Precious – Optometry Technician, Nkhoma

Isabelle – Optometrist, Nkhoma

Together, we can train, equip and support more #EyeHealthHeroes working in the world’s poorest places, to identify and treat eye conditions so that no one becomes needlessly blind.
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Community

QAV’s ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY

QAV Logo

QAV IN THE COMMUNITY

QAV’s ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY.

This month, QAV is sharing the story of a man called Kabir who is living in a refugee camp in Bangladesh and has been able to build a business, and support his family, thanks to the glasses he’s been prescribed by CBM and their partner.
Month 3 | Improving eyesight in refugee camps

Everyone has a right to sight! But, for many people living in refugee camps around the world, access to eye health care is out of reach.

This month, QAV is sharing the story of a man called Kabir who is living in a refugee camp in Bangladesh and has been able to build a business, and support his family, thanks to the glasses he’s been prescribed by CBM and their partner.

In August 2017, more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees fled horrific violence in Myanmar, seeking refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh. Since then, CBM has been working with their long-term partner Centre for Disability in Development (CDD) to improve the health and wellbeing of those living in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, including providing access to eye health care.

 

Kabir’s story

Prior to seeking refuge in Bangladesh, Kabir lived in Myanmar, where he worked as a tailor – something he has done since he was 14. After fleeing his home, Kabir began working as a tailor again in one of the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, selling clothes to other refugees. Unfortunately, his eyesight started to deteriorate and he found himself struggling to continue working.

Kabir’s hope was restored as he was contacted by a community worker from CBM’s partner, who was running an eye and hearing screening. Kabir was assessed by an eye specialist and measured up for corrective glasses. With the right glasses, Kabir’s sight improved and his confidence grew. He returned to work and is once again able to provide for his family.

“Now I am having huge workloads due to a lot of demand. Even I have engaged my son in my shop to meet the demands,” laughs Kabir.

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Community

QAV’s ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY

QAV Logo

QAV IN THE COMMUNITY

QAV’s ‘RIGHT TO SIGHT’ EYE HEALTH JOURNEY.

This month, QAV is sharing the story of a dedicated outreach worker called Debisa, who is protecting families in Ethiopia from the blinding eye disease, Trachoma.
Month 2 | Protecting communities from Trachoma
What is Trachoma?

  • Highly contagious bacterial infection, spread by flies.
  • Often passed on between mothers and young children, because of the close contact between them.
  • Leading cause of infectious blindness.
  • Prevalent in poor rural communities where families struggle to access clean water.
Meet Debisa!

“It makes me happy to see someone protected against blindness.”

Debisa is one of only two outreach workers protecting families from trachoma in the Amhara region in northern Ethiopia, East Africa. This area has one of the highest trachoma prevalence rates in the world – over half of the population have this blinding eye condition. She goes from village to village to find people living with trachoma and provide them eye drops to save their sight.

Trachoma is stealing the sight of thousands of people living in the world’s poorest communities. But there is hope.

CBM is working with partners in the world’s poorest communities to train more community outreach workers like Debisa, to identify people with trachoma and prevent them from going needlessly and irreversibly blind. Find out more.

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Community

THIS MONTH, AS PART OF OUR #RIGHTTOSIGHT CAMPAIGN WITH CBM UK, WE’RE SHARING INSPIRING STORIES FROM THEIR PARTNER EYE HOSPITAL IN ZIMBABWE

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QAV IN THE COMMUNITY

THIS MONTH, AS PART OF OUR #RIGHTTOSIGHT CAMPAIGN WITH CBM UK, WE’RE SHARING INSPIRING STORIES FROM THEIR PARTNER EYE HOSPITAL IN ZIMBABWE.

This month QAV is sharing inspiring stories from an eye hospital in Zimbabwe
This month QAV is sharing inspiring stories from an eye hospital in Zimbabwe

QAV is proud to support CBM as their Charity of the Year to celebrate their 20th Anniversary in business. If you would like to learn about eye health in low income countries, follow our monthly stories showcasing individuals, field care workers and learn more about how critical CBM’s work is in the fight to end avoidable blindness around the world. This month we follow Paul and Mary on their journey from blindness to sight as they have long-awaited cataract surgeries in Zimbabwe.

Sight-saving treatments like cataract surgery can restore independence and transform lives forever, not just for individuals but for entire families.

Paul and Mary’s journey to sight. Witness the incredible human impact of sight-restoring treatment as Paul and Mary have cataract surgery at CBM’s partner hospital in Zimbabwe.

Meet Paul.

For the last year, Paul hasn’t been able to leave his hut alone. Always an active man, a farmer and a carpenter who built his own home, he couldn’t even see to walk to the toilet.

Watch his story:

Meet Mary

Since Mary’s parents died, she has worked hard taking in laundry so that her grandson and granddaughter can stay in school. But when cataracts robbed her of sight, she was no longer able to work and was desperately worried about their future.

Watch her story:

Go to www.cbmuk.org.uk/lightuplives/live/ to find out more!

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