Trapped in a world blurred by cataracts

As morning sunlight filled his home in rural Bangladesh, 10-year-old Shahadeb opened his eyes to a blur.

Shahadeb suffered with cataracts, making the world difficult to navigate. He struggled at school as poor vision meant he couldn’t read his textbooks. Cataracts were not only depriving Shahadeb of his childhood but also threatening his opportunities for education and future employment.

A straightforward operation could have transformed Shahadeb’s sight, but time was running out. His eyes were sending blurry images to his brain, preventing the part responsible for vision from developing properly. Every year a child like Shahadeb has cataracts means a greater risk of them developing permanent sight loss.

Without support from Sightsavers and our local partners, thousands of children with cataracts could be affected by sight loss for the rest of their lives.

Thankfully, Shahadeb was diagnosed with cataracts at a local Sightsavers eye screening centre. He underwent successful cataract operations on both eyes and, for the very first time, Shahadeb could see his family clearly.

A cataract operation is the start of a brand-new world for a child like Shahadeb, but thousands more children are waiting for urgent treatment. Please donate to Sightsavers and help save children’s vision and improve their quality of life.

How does Sightsavers use donations?
91% of donations, including donated supplies, go to our charity work. The rest helps grow awareness of our projects and raise more funds.