Unique stories to inspire everyone to #LOVEYOUREYES

La Fundación Visión no espera a que la gente llegue; sale a su encuentro. Su clínica móvil recorre los lugares más alejados del Paraguay para llevar esperanza en forma de salud ocular. Realiza tamizajes, pero sobre todo, escucha. Mira a los ojos a las personas, detecta no solo patologías, sino también historias de necesidad.

Esta foto captura uno de esos encuentros en el árido Chaco Paraguayo, donde el acceso a salud es una lucha diaria. Aquí, la Fundación convierte el aislamiento en una oportunidad. Cada derivación que realizan es un hilo que teje una red de cuidado, asegurando que nadie se quede atrás.

Cada parada de la clínica es más que una consulta: es la promesa de un mañana donde un niño podrá ver el pizarrón, un abuelo reconocerá el rostro de su nieto y un adulto podrá seguir trabajando. No solo previenen la ceguera; devuelven la posibilidad de soñar. Porque el derecho a ver, es, también, el derecho a vivir con dignidad. Juntos, estamos abriendo caminos de luz.

Víctorino Tomás, apegado a su casa y rutina, vio cómo su visión se volvió borrosa durante seis meses, hasta dejar de reconocer a la gente. Aunque aceptó una consulta, al principio se negó a operarse por miedo a quedarse ciego.

Gracias a la explicación clara del equipo de Fundación Visión y al apoyo insistente de su familia, finalmente aceptó la cirugía. El día de la operación, se mostró tranquilo y decidido.

Tras la intervención, su reacción al retirar el parche fue inmediata: “veo todo ahora”. Pudo identificar personas, reconocer caras y leer.  La recuperación le devolvió la seguridad y el deseo de retomar sus actividades y su trabajo.

Agradeció profundamente al equipo que lo acompañó: “mediante ustedes volví a ver”. Su caso subraya la importancia de apoyar y convencer a quienes necesitan cirugía para que puedan volver a su vida cotidiana.

When José put on his new glasses, it was like his world came into "focus" for the very first time. As a truck driver, he had been navigating his livelihood with blurry vision, a constant struggle that went unseen. But in that moment, when we handed him a pair of glasses, everything changed. He eagerly read the vision chart from top to bottom, his face lighting up as he tackled the fine print he'd never been able to see.

"Que linda de leer"—"How beautiful to read," he exclaimed, his voice filled with pure joy. Then, with tears rapidly welling in his eyes, he whispered, "Puedo veer todo"—"I can see everything." As his tears fell, so did mine. It was a shared moment of overwhelming gratitude and a moment I'll never forget.

Shariat Begum, 47, is a tailor in Chandpur Municipality, Bangladesh. Her income from stitching school uniforms, saris, and salwar kameez sets is her household’s only steady cash flow. In 2023, her near vision began to blur- threading needles, reading order slips, and marking fabric lines became difficult. Mistakes increased, orders slowed, and earnings dropped.

Unable to afford a private clinic, Shariat continued working, straining her eyes and hoping the problem would be resolved. Then she learned about a free eye-screening and reading-glass distribution camp hosted by SAJIDA Foundation’s Urban Poverty Alleviation Programme, SUDIN, with support from RestoringVision.

At the camp, she was diagnosed with presbyopia, the age-related loss of near vision. She received a pair of reading glasses on the spot, at no cost.

The results were immediate. “Before the eye camp, I struggled to see the needle and my work slowed down; now the stitches are straight, orders are back, and I can cover rent without borrowing,” she said.

With her vision restored, Shariat returned to full productivity, regained client trust, and stabilized her income. Her story shows how a simple pair of reading glasses can empower workers in informal sectors to sustain their livelihoods.

A few months old, my family noticed something was wrong: around five months, I didn’t see like others and bumped furniture. Specialists diagnosed my right eye blind; my left eye had limited vision.

In 2006, at age four, glaucoma forced emergency surgery; my sight weakened, but remained. In 2013, my right retina detached; having no sight it went unnoticed until pain forced removal and replacement with an artificial eye. In 2021–22, darkness fell on my left eye; doctors warned that rising pressure could cost my remaining sight. I began medication, and my vision stabilised and remains stable.

Growing up with low vision was hard—daily tasks and travel often needed help—so I adapted to stay independent: I ordered online and learned to manage. Stories of blind achievers inspired me. My mother was my biggest strength; my brothers and wife supported me always. Friends like Yousaf Saleem and mentor Azam Meghani from GIVE 4 NEEDY encouraged me.

My right eye is artificial, and my left eye has very limited sight. I provide video editing, web development and AI calling-agent services using a screen reader. I’m growing professionally and eager to connect. This is my story of vision loss, resilience, adaptation, and determination to keep moving forward

Paraguay, known as the heart of South America, is home to about 6,417,076 inhabitants. Despite progress, not everyone can access health services when needed. In eye health, the gap is striking: an estimated 20,000 people in the country are blind due to cataracts, a condition that could be prevented or treated. In this context, Aleydis Vera, Head of Community Health at Fundación Visión, leads a mobile clinic that travels to the most remote areas of Paraguay. Together with her team, she brings ophthalmological consultations, screenings, and referrals, so people do not have to travel to the capital. From Asunción, she coordinates operations aimed at detecting cataract blindness in rural and vulnerable populations, organizing surgical days within the communities themselves, and ensuring that treatment is not hindered by economic or geographic barriers.

These initiatives are possible thanks to collaboration with local, national, and international partners, who support surgical campaigns and sustained logistics with a focus on equity. For over 18 years, Aleydis has dedicated her life to providing visual health to underserved communities.

As a graphic designer, 27-year-old Michael Ankomanyi creates visual elements to delight the senses. Losing his sight meant not only losing his livelihood but also his identity as an artist. “The eye is the window to the body. It sees everything and transmits information to the brain. If you can’t see, then you are lacking.” Michael needed help. “I have experienced very dark moments; I lost all hope. For days, I would sit in my room and cry. I never imagined regaining my sight again.” He learned of a Cure Blindness Project outreach that provided free sight-restoring cataract surgeries. The NGO has an extensive network of partners in Ghana. Michael knew he had to go. “I was initially scared of the surgical procedure, but I needed to conquer my fears or live in darkness forever. As a young man, the thoughts of being unable to make a living and move about by myself were even scarier.” Again able to see, Michael is able to create. “I want to thank Cure Blindness Project for providing these life-changing interventions. For me, hope is restored!”

Panchmay Damai walked a long way to get to our eye camp. The 70-year-old knew that she needed glasses and waited patiently until the evening for her eye test. She also brought some money with her, as an advertising poster had already indicated in advance that the glasses cost something. An important point, because just getting money from home is not an option at these distances. The fact that the pilot camps worked so well in this respect is also thanks to the active support of the Nepalese staff.

There's no mistaking it: The glasses bring double the joy - for mother and daughter!

6-year-old Adison Marianna Lezardas comes to the eye camp because she has difficulty reading from the blackboard at school. And that's right: during the eye test, the team from GoodVision found that both of her eyes were short-sighted and the first grader needed glasses. It is a huge help to her mother that the NGO provides glasses for children worldwide free of charge, as she would never have been able to afford glasses from an optician. Adison is also thrilled with her first pair of glasses and doesn't want to take them off, not even when playing soccer with her brother. And now at school, Adison can read everything from the blackboard without any difficulties.

Every morning, Stephen Jackson sets off for work in Chingalu, Malawi, propelling himself forward on his handcycle. As a tinsmith, precision is everything - sharp lines, steady hands, and most critically, clear sight.

But in recent years, that last piece had begun to fade. Fine details blurred. Edges lost their crispness. The work he once did with ease became difficult and dangerous.

When Stephen heard that GoodVision was offering eye exams in his village, he didn’t hesitate. He made his way to the camp, hoping for a solution. 

He left with GoodVision Glasses and got straight back to work.

Stephen never stopped showing up. He just needed the clarity to keep doing what he does best.

Because when you restore vision, you’re not just helping someone see—you’re helping them stay in motion, stay employed, and stay proud of what they build.

Joseph Msampa has spent most of his life under the hood of a car. As a mechanic in Malawi, small details matter: engine stamps, serial numbers, seals. But those details started slipping out of focus when he was just 25. At first, he managed. Now, nearing 50, the strain has grown harder to ignore.

“When I try to read small things, it is much easier for me with the glasses,” he says. “I have to read different parts on engines and boxes in my day-to-day job—and it is much easier for me now!”

Joseph heard about GoodVision through a street advertisement and made his way to an eye camp. There, he received a pair of glasses tailored to his needs - no long wait, no unreachable cost, just a simple, lasting solution.

Today, he’s back to doing what he does best: solving problems, fixing engines, providing for his family.

Sometimes, restoring someone’s sight isn’t about changing what they see, it’s about making sure they can keep doing what they’ve always done.

Mangal Maya Shahi, an elderly woman in her 80s from Kathmandu, she had been blind for seven years due to cataracts complicated by diabetes. After surgery, she experienced the joy of seeing her surroundings, including her daughter-in-law and grandson, for the first time. The family, overwhelmed with gratitude, described the experience as "a rebirth." Mangal Maya regained independence, and her family no longer had to provide constant care.

A teacher's (Festus) vision for he classroom is clearer now, with the help fo Optometry Giving Sight (OGS).

Festus lives and works in Liberia. Last year, he received his first-ever pair of glasses after having difficulty reading documents and his students' work. At a school vision program made possible by EYElliance, supported in part by funding from Optometry Giving Sight, he - along with many children - were given the gift of sight. Now Festus can grade papers and prepare lessons more effectively, and the children can properly see to learn.

At just 8 years old, Besta Kidmon from Chitego Village, Kongwa, Tanzania, has already endured a lifetime of challenges. Born with vision problems in her left eye, her family sought answers for years — from traditional healers to distant hospitals — but found none. Forced to leave school because of her worsening sight, Besta’s future seemed uncertain.

Then came a life-changing moment: a local eye outreach program offering surgery. Wrapped in a blanket and beaming with joy just a day after her operation, Besta now faces the world with renewed hope. Her smile says it all — vision restored, dreams reborn.

Thanks to the outreach, her mother no longer wonders if help will come. It already has.