Imagine living in darkness your entire life. This is the reality for an estimated 100 000 visually impaired children in South Africa. Fortunately, for children living close to medical facilities, the most prevalent condition is cataracts, which can be treated. However, for the majority of people living in the rural areas of South Africa, the hope of ever seeing is slim. Many will have impaired eyesight for the rest of their lives, as they do not have access to the resources needed to remedy the problem.
Visual impairment has a ripple effect. It reduces your ability to get an education, it hinders your chances of finding employment and due to South Africa’s limited public facilities for the visually impaired, it makes everyday life difficult. Given that our education system is under pressure, and unemployment figures are over 25%, the estimated 383 920 blind individuals in South Africa face a daunting set of circumstances.
Despite the fact that there is a surprisingly large blind population in South Africa, very little is being done to reduce the number of people who are visually impaired. There are only 324 ophthalmologists (6 for every 1 million people) in the country. Most of these specialists work in the more affluent areas of South Africa, which leaves only a few of these professionals to service the majority of the population. Sadly, many people who are visually impaired could receive treatment to improve their sight but are unaware of this because they do not have access to the right medical care and equipment. This is confirmed by the World Health Organisation, which estimates that globally, 80% of blindness in adults and around 60% in children could be prevented.
Cataracts account for approximately half the blindness in Africa and, although surgery is often required, the condition is very treatable. In response to this growing problem, Flying for Life has been flying a dedicated group of volunteer ophthalmologists and nurses to Donald Fraser Hospital in Limpopo to perform free cataract surgeries since October 2013. To date they have performed over 216 eye surgeries, ensuring a better future for people who otherwise would be visually impaired.
Different.org is excited to partner with Flying for Life to help ensure that this program continues. The Different.org / Flying for Life project will be fundraising for 6 flights to the Donald Fraser Hospital, which will allow 90 people to receive cataract surgery.
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