Blind man regains his sight

A doctor carries out a cataract operation to restore the sight of a blind man in Malawi who has been visually impaired for 12 years – and completely blind for two.

When Winesi March wakes up, it really will be to a brave new world.

Because, after being significantly visually impaired for 12 years –and completely blind for two, Mr Winesi, a 69-year-old farmer from a remote village in Malawi, near the Zambian border, is undergoing an operation which will give him back his sight.

His operation has been live streamed from a hospital in Malawi’s second city Blantyre.

The first part of the surgery took place at 13.30 BST on Wednesday October 8.

Video cameras allow us to see Mr Winesi’s bandages being removed, and share the moment he sees his wife Namaleta for the first time in 12 years.

The procedure is being carried out by Malawian eye surgeon Dr Gerald Msukwa for the charity Sightsavers, which is streaming Mr Winesi’s procedure live to highlight its ‘A Million Miracles’ campaign.

This is a fundraising drive – match funded by the Department of International Development (DfID) – to provide one million cataract operations in poor countries around the globe.

Sightsavers estimates that there are 39 million people living with preventable blindness – like Mr Winesi – and it is estimated that 20 million of these are as a result of cataracts, which are caused, as we age, by a build-up of protein in the lens, which makes it cloud over.

Most sufferers in countries like the UK pay for surgery privately, but in poorer regions – although an operation can cost just £30 – there is neither the funds nor the opportunity to have cataracts removed. In Malawi, for example, there are only a handful of qualified eye doctors; most have moved abroad to practise their skills.

For more information, visit www.millionmiracles.org or Tweet @Sightsavers #SeeTheMiracle 

Source The Telegraph