Trapped in a world blurred by cataracts

Will you help provide treatment for a child like Shahadeb before it’s too late to restore their sight?

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. After the age of 10, even a cataract operation might not have been enough to avoid 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.

I couldn’t see anything. I used to have trouble walking around. My eyesight was very bad.

Shahadeb, aged 10

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The image on the left shows Shahadeb walking in a village in Bangladesh. The image on the right shows a reconstruction of the scene as it might appear to someone with sight loss from cataracts.

Shahadeb holds hands with his father and younger brother Arjun, as they walk along the path by the river that was a constant danger for Shahadeb before his operation.

Dr Nazrul Islam performed surgery to remove cataracts from both of Shahadeb's eyes, protecting him from permanent sight loss.

Shahadeb smiles after his surgery while wearing protective glasses that help him adjust to his new vision.

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 restore children’s vision and improve their quality of life.

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91% of donations, including donated supplies, support our vital charity work. The remainder helps us grow awareness of Sightsavers and raise more funds for our life-changing projects.

Thousands of children are running out of time

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Trapped in a world blurred by cataracts

Will you help provide treatment for a child like Shahadeb before it’s too late to restore their sight?

Thousands of children are running out of time

Protecting sight, fighting disease and promoting equality for all