Eyesight restored: Seeing is believing

Asma can see for the first time in 19 years following her eye transplant surgery.

GOJRA:

A woman who has been blind since soon after her birth recently regained her sight following an eye transplant last week.

Gojra resident 19-year-old Asma has been blind since a few months after her birth but recently underwent a successful eye transplant surgery in a private hospital in Beera tehsil. On Tuesday, doctors at the hospital removed Asma’s bandages and she saw her mother for the first time. “I couldn’t really understand what I was seeing at first because I am so used to seeing with my hands,”
she said. Asma said that when she finally recognised her mother she didn’t know how to express her joy. “I know it will take me a while to relearn everything and see the world through my eyes rather than my hands and other people’s description but it is amazing to finally be able to see my parents,” she said.

Asma’s mother Ghafooran Bibi said “I cannot believe this has happened. We couldn’t initially afford the surgery but several philanthropists and NGOs came to our aid. Now my daughter can see for the first time and I cannot describe the joy I feel.”

The Mian Muhammad Trust that paid for most of the expenses also helped forward Asma’s case to the government. “It was a long process to get her on the donor list and then arrange for the surgery but I am glad that it has worked. She can see now and it was all worth it,” said trust representative Abid Qureshi. Qureshi said that the organs used in the transplant were donated by the Sri Lanka Eye Bank and cost a total of $400. The operation lasted over five hours.

Eye surgeon Dr Aslam Farooq said that the operation was a grand success. “This is just the first step. Asma can now see but she still doesn’t understand what she is seeing so we are having her work with a psychologist. She needs someone to help her reacquaint herself with the world around her,” he said.

“We initially started eye transplants in Faisalabad and so far I have conducted 21 such surgeries. I feel blessed that I can help these people see, it is a privilege,” said Dr Farooq.

“I was working with Amna while she still had her bandages on but the real challenge begins when a patients starts using their eyes for the first time. Everything is unfamiliar,” said psychologist Farah Waleed. “She still needs to touch everything first before she can identify what it is but it will take time,” she said.

“I have been blind for as long as I can remember so I never thought it was a disability. It was all I knew then but now I know what I have been missing. It is a blessing to be able to see my family and to see colours. I am extremely grateful to god,” Asma said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2011.