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In African and Asian countries, where cataract is the biggest cause of blindness, women account for up to three quarters of people living with cataract.

Why?

• Women often have disproportionate childcare commitments, stopping them from seeking treatment
• Women often don’t control the money in their families, so the cost of transport to hospitals, and of treatment, often prevents them getting help
• In some countries, women cannot travel the long distance to clinics or hospitals unless accompanied by a male family member

Magdu's story

Magdu Bai is 70 years old and lives alone in a small village called Nayani in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. She started to lose her sight three years ago, and was relying on her grandson and friends to help her with the simplest of tasks – such as cooking meals and tending to her goats.

She had to be guided everywhere, and said that as her vision deteriorated she became increasingly isolated and lonely, spending long hours alone at home with nothing to do and nobody to talk to. She became resigned to her lonely fate “leaving everything to the will of God”.

Luckily, she was identified as having cataract in both eyes via a screening camp supported by Sightsavers, through our partner the Gomabai Hospital. Her grandson urged her to seek the treatment, and within days she was in hospital preparing for her sight restoring cataract surgery. She wasn’t nervous as some patients tend to be, but was just looking forward to seeing the face of her grandson and friends, and being able to live normally without constant help from others.

When the bandages came off she grinned and laughed in delight at being able to see again, and immediately took in the whole room, waving at the other patients!

“I am so happy I can see again, it feels really good!” she says. “I’m looking forward to going to the temple with my friends and getting out and about by myself.”