This Christmas, will you help save the sight of more children like Ismail?

Here’s the thing about cataract operations for children: it’s tricky to operate on a squirming, wriggly little person, so costly general anaesthetic is usually needed.

It also takes children longer to recover than adults, so there’s at least one overnight hospital stay to factor in. Add to this the surgical supplies, equipment, staff and aftercare needed, and the costs mount up.

Little Ismail was born with cataracts in both eyes. For babies, it’s vital that the problem is dealt with as early as possible: if it’s not, their sight will never develop properly and they’ll have permanent visual impairment.

Ismail was lucky: his parents realised there was a problem and took him to a doctor, but when they found out he required surgery, they were devastated. The cost – about £60 per eye for a cataract operation and aftercare – was more than they could ever afford.

The support they needed came from someone like you. Donations from Sightsavers supporters have, for years, meant that children like Ismail and their families can access care that would otherwise be far beyond their means.

Ismail is one of the lucky ones – he got his miracle. When he opened his eyes after his bandages came off and saw light for the first time, it was an amazing moment, and his mother was so overjoyed she couldn’t stop cuddling him.

Thousands of other children with bilateral cataracts are facing permanent sight loss like Ismail was. Will you make a miracle happen for one of them?

You’ll be transforming lives

Every gift you give helps change lives for people in the world’s poorest countries. Since our work began, your donations have provided 8.7 million cataract surgeries and 529,000 trachoma operations. Our donors have also helped us to support more than 313,000 people with disabilities, enabling them to live full and independent lives.

We think it’s money well spent, and we hope you do too.